Return of the Dark Lord
by DayDreamer95
Summary: Having slumbered once more after a fateful accident, Amaterasu awakes to find that twenty years have passed. Now a new, all-powerful dark force threatens Nippon. Will she be able to defeat the New Dark Lord? Please review!
1. Prologue

Hey everyone! So, the first part of my story is finally done :D! I hope you enjoy it, and please rate and review with your honest opinions so that I may improve my stories. This is my very first one, and oh, there are spoilers for the end of the game in here—well, kinda. Please tell me if there are any errors in it and whatever I can do to make it better. In case you couldn't tell, this story is from the 1st-person viewpoint of Amaterasu.

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Prologue

_Onboard the legendary Ark of Yamato, now purified of all evil, Waka and I were traveling to the Celestial Plain—our home. It was a long journey, so to pass the time, Waka—a long-time companion of mine since before I could remember, and possibly something more—decided to play his flute for me. The soothing, familiar melody brought back a glimpse of a memory that had long been forgotten. It was of me frolicking in the scenic fields of the Celestial Plain. Those were easier times, simpler times . . . Before . . ._

_Waka stopped playing, and I snapped back to reality. "Look," Waka said. "There is the Celestial Plain, right over there." He pointed to a small spot in the distance that was rapidly growing closer. He smiled at me. "We are finally back, _ma chérie. _Back home." Now the Celestial Plain was clearly in my sight, and my tail started wagging for the joy I felt to finally be back once more. The island itself had an ethereal glow, and majestic mountains sprouted from it like spring flowers. Seeing my old home, memories came flooding back like a wave washing over me._

_But suddenly, the ground shook, as if in an earthquake. The fleeting memories fled from my mind like startled birds. I looked around frantically, trying to figure out what was happening._

_"We are under attack!" Waka exclaimed. "Brace yourself, Amaterasu!" The entire ark was now quaking violently, as if it would break apart. I peered out the window to see who—or what—was attacking. My heart sunk at the mere sight of it._

_Large tendrils of darkness lashed out at us, each blacker than midnight. Once again, they struck the ark, this time nearly shattering it. The floor heaved out from under my feet, and I started tumbling down towards the ark's depths._

_"Amaterasu! No!" Waka cried. He reached out with his hand, trying to save me from the long drop below me. But I was just out of his reach, my paws just brushing his fingertips, and I continued to fall. I heard Waka shout my name once more before I crashed into the walls of the ark, the world going dark._

o~*~o

_I slowly regained consciousness, and soon realized that I was pinned. The Ark of Yamato had not survived the attack, and it had crash-landed in Shinshu Field. It was now nothing more than a heap of twisted metal. Part of the wreckage had trapped me beneath it. I looked over to see that Waka survived the crash, and was doing much better than I was. He ran over to where I lay, and tried to lift the wreckage off me without much success. Frustrated at this, Waka brought out his flute, which doubled as his sword, Pillowtalk. He slashed at the wreckage until I became free. He then asked, "Are you all right, _ma chérie?_" It quickly became apparent that I was not all right._

_When the wreck came down on top of me, I sustained many severe injuries from the heavy pieces of metal, and I was painfully aware of each. Many of my bones were shattered, and the pain was so great, I could not even bear to move. As I lay there, crippled and helpless, in searing pain, I started to fear that I might not live much longer. Waka looked at me with deep concern in his eyes. Gently, he took me in his arms. He sat in silence for a while, holding me close to him, before he spoke._

_"I'm sorry," he whispered in my ear. "I'm so sorry!" His grip around me tightened. "I let this happen to you . . . If only . . . if only I'd been able to protect you!" Did he think that this was his fault?_

_I looked up at him. Never before had I seen him like this. To me, he had always been my fortress—strong and unyielding. He always kept a level head, keeping his cool in even the direst of situations. But now, devastated at the thought of losing me . . . I could now see that there were tears in his eyes. Lifting my head, I licked his face, to comfort him and to let him know that I did not blame him for anything._

_"Amaterasu . . . _ma chérie _. . ." Waka held me even tighter as the tears in his eyes began to spill over. I could feel my strength fade with each passing moment. Now, unable to keep my head up, I laid it on Waka's chest. I could feel his warm tears on my fur as he continued to hold me ever so close. Again, I tried lifting my head in an attempt to lick him. But, failing to do even that, I just whined piteously. I knew my condition was worsening, and that my worst fears were soon to be confirmed._

_Right then, I heard a voice from behind us that was all too familiar. It was Issun, a tiny Poncle whom had accompanied me on my long journey prior to this disastrous day. _

_"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" he questioned, immediately suspicious. "Did something happen . . . ?" His question was left unanswered, as Waka was still too emotional to talk. Issun saw this as the perfect chance to get back at him. You see, Issun never really took a liking to Waka. So he teased, "What's the matter, pretty boy? Cat got your tongue?" Seeing that Issun did not realize the severity of the situation, Waka gently set me down to show Issun what happened._

_For the first time in his life, Issun was speechless. He just stared at my broken body in disbelief. When he finally found words, he said, "A-Ammy's not going to . . . die, right?" Even as he spoke, I could feel my life slipping away. All I could do was watch him as he bounced toward my nose, so close to my eyes that I could see his face. He, too had tears in his eyes as he shouted at me, "C'mon, ya big furball! You can't let this get the best of you . . . you can't! 'Cause if you do, I . . . I . . .—" and he could no longer speak as emotion overcame him. Unable to bear the thought of losing his best friend, Issun started to cry; something I'd never seen him do before._

_It pained me to see the two people I care most about suffer so. I desperately wished that I could help them, comfort them. But alas, I couldn't even do anything to help myself. I could barely keep my eyes open, I was so weak. I could hear the sadness and despair in Issun's voice as he cried, "No! Ammy, don't go!" But hard as I tried, I ultimately resigned to my fate and closed my eyes, prepared to pass into the next life._

_And so, once again, I fell into a dark, cold, slumber . . ._


	2. Hope

Heh, they just keep coming one after another! 8D For this chapter, I decided to use the third person since Ammy's not in it. Sorry if it's a bit short! Please rate and review! Enjoy!

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_**Chapter 1: Hope**_

_Waka and Issun stood in stifling silence. Sorrow weighed heavily on their hearts. Neither could believe the heartbreaking tragedy that just took place before their eyes. Amaterasu was dead. Her body was now nothing more than hard, cold stone._

_Both of them now turned away, unable to bear the sight of her granite corpse. All hope seemed lost, leaving nothing but despair and grief behind._

_Just then, someone they least expected visited Issun and Waka. It was Sakuya, the beautiful tree sprite residing in the guardian tree Konohana. With her divine powers, she protected Kamiki Village from evil spirits._

_Sakuya looked over at Amaterasu's stone-cold body. She seemed to be examining the body briefly before saying something that restored a glimmer of hope._

_"Amaterasu . . . is not dead," she said calmly. "She is merely in deep slumber, recovering her strength."_

_Issun was ecstatic at these news, and Waka himself nearly jumped in joy. A single thought flashed through both their minds. Issun was the first to voice this thought._

_"If Ammy's not really dead, then . . . then you could revive her! Right, Sakuya? Like you did the last time!" When Orochi returned, Sakuya had performed the ancient ritual of revival to awaken Amaterasu. Their hopes slightly faded again as she sadly shook her head._

_"No . . . I'm afraid I cannot perform that ritual quite yet," she replied soberly. Now it was Waka's turn to express his thoughts._

_"Why can you not? If you did it once, surely you could do it again."_

_"I am sorry. I have not made myself clear. I cannot do it at this moment because it is not yet the right time."_

_"The right time . . . ?" Now he and Issun were both curious. They listened intently to what Sakuya had to say next._

_"As of right now, Nippon is not in any immediate danger. It would be pointless to summon her now. Also, Amaterasu needs to recover her strength above anything else."_

_Issun spoke up now. "Recover her strength? For what exactly would she need to do that for?"_

_"Perhaps I can answer that, my little bouncing friend," Waka intervened. His answer came in a prophecy of the future. "__**I foresee a dark entity, exponentially more powerful than all before it**__. Amaterasu will need all the strength she can muster to fight this new enemy."_

_"Okay, but the real question is when will the 'right time' be?" Issun asked._

_"That I do not know. But it will be clear when that time comes." That was all Waka said on the subject, and then there was nothing left to do but to wait for that time._

_So wait they did, for the next twenty years . . ._


	3. Resurrection

_**Chapter 2: Resurrection**_

This is it. At last, the time is right. The moment Waka, Issun, and Sakuya have been anticipating for twenty long years is finally close at hand. Gazing up at the sky, they could see nothing but darkness stretch infinitely before them. A powerful evil aura covered the field like a dense fog. A new threat endangers Nippon. The time has come to summon Amaterasu back to world.

Sakuya prepared for the long-awaited ritual that would wake Amaterasu from her stony slumber. She called forth Amaterasu's most powerful reflector, Solar Flare. Using her divine powers, Sakuya placed the Divine Instrument on Amaterasu's body.

Bit by bit, stone was replaced by flesh. In a dazzling flash of light, the ritual was complete. Everyone watched in awe as Amaterasu opened her eyes, living and breathing again.

o~*~o

**Amaterasu**

I woke up in a daze and took in my surroundings. I was in Shinshu Field, greeted by the faces I know and love. Shakily, I rose to my feet, my limbs feeling stiff. By instinct, I shook myself off, trying to get rid of the stiffness I felt all over. Taking a second look around, everything seemed to be the same, but I had a feeling that something was different . . .

I looked to my friends, hoping one of them would give me an explanation as to what exactly was happening. It felt like I'd been sleeping for ages, and I just knew that there was something different. I sensed that evil had returned to Nippon, of course, but there was something else I couldn't put my finger on.

Waka decided to step forth to answer my unasked questions. There was a broad smile on his face as he approached, as if he hadn't seen me in forever. This only made me more curious, and decided to listen closely to his explanation.

"You have been asleep for a long time, _ma chérie._ Twenty years, to be exact." I gaped at him in disbelief. _I was asleep for that long? _I thought. _Impossible! How can that be? _Almost as if he read my thoughts, Waka said, "It is true, Amaterasu. Do you not remember that day?"

My memories flashed back to the day the Ark of Yamato was attacked. _Come to think of it, I can't recall anything beyond that day. So it is true. _I admitted to myself. _I slept for twenty years . . . Wow._

"Amaterasu? Amaterasu!" After who knows how many times Waka called my name, I came back to reality. Waka shook his head.

"Really, _ma chérie, _you need to stop spacing out like that! One day, that is going to get you into trouble, you know." At that, I gave him the wolf version of an eye-roll. Looking at Shinshu Field, it hasn't seemed to change all that much after twenty years. My eyes traced the path to Kamiki Village. I longed to see if it changed after all these years.

Issun followed my gaze. Like always, he read my thoughts like an open book. So he said, "C'mon, guys, let's go back to the village." Excited, I speeded down the path so fast, I left all the other guys in the dust! In half a second, I arrived at the village. I looked around, eager to find out what stayed the same and what has changed.

It pleased me to know that the village itself hasn't changed a bit. The sakura trees that flourished in the village still stood, bringing with them a storm of cherry blossom petals. At first glance, Kamiki seemed to be exactly the same as it was twenty years ago. But taking a closer look, I noticed that the _people_ in the village changed.

Mr. and Mrs. Orange, the town elders, were still alive by some miracle. Little Mushi was now grown, living his dream of becoming a great warrior. Susano and Kushi were getting older, but were still together as a happy couple. The only person I didn't recognize was a young lady harvesting the rice fields that Kushi, whom runs a local sake bar, usually worked.

"Oh, that's Kiyoko," Issun said, once again reading my mind. "She's Susano and Kushi's daughter." The girl called Kiyoko turned around, and the family resemblance was clear. She had her mother's beauty, but I could somehow tell there was something more to her. Noticing my presence, she came over to investigate.

"Hello, Issun," she said, looking around. "Where's Waka? I haven't seen him around lately. Oh, and who's your cute lupine friend here?" Her voice was light and gentle, like her mother's. She knelt down to look at me more closely. I could see that her eyes were a lovely violet color. Behind those eyes, though, there was something I couldn't quite name.

"Hey Kiki," Issun replied. "This furball here goes by Amaterasu. And I could care less where that half-baked prophet is!"

She laughed—a light, sweet sound that was almost musical. "Well, why haven't I seen this wolf—Amaterasu, was it?—around the village before?"

"Trust me, it's a _long_ story!"

"Trust me, I have _plenty_ of time!" she replied with a smirk. With no comebacks for that, Issun had no choice but to explain the long story. Kiyoko listened intently, hanging on every word. Surprisingly, she believed everything, even the part about me being a goddess. I silently thanked Issun. As a Celestial Envoy, it was his job to kindle people's faith in the Gods, which he has done well.

Kiyoko now looked at me with brand-new respect, and bowed before me as she said, "My deepest apologies, O great Amaterasu! I did not know you were a goddess! I—"

"Aw, save the respect," Issun cut in. "She gets enough of that already. Feel free to call her Ammy, she doesn't mind."

"Alright . . . Ammy." She seemed quite reluctant to address a goddess like me with such familiarity. "Yeah, I think I'll stick with Amaterasu. Well, I know about you now, so I guess I should tell you a little about myself now. As you know, my daddy, Susano, is a descendant of Nagi. So, I, too have the blood of Nagi flowing through my veins. Sure, my daddy's the greatest _male _warrior . . . but _I _am the greatest _female_ warrior!"

I smiled inwardly. _Ha, she's related to Susano, that's for sure,_ I thought. He would always say that he's the greatest warrior, and proved that by dealing the final blow to Orochi when he returned after 100 years. Taking another look at Kiyoko, I now realized what that something in her eyes was. Behind those amethyst eyes, a fiery passion burned within. Though she had her mother's looks, she also inherited her father's fierceness and a love for the way of the sword.

At that thought, Kiyoko drew a sword I didn't realize she even had.

"With my trusty sword, Takemaru, no one can defeat me!" she declared confidently.

"Oh, is that so, Kiki?" The voice came out of nowhere, but was soon followed by a face. A young man I also did not recognize appeared, carrying a blade over his shoulder.

"N-Nushi!" Kiyoko exclaimed in surprise.

"So, how about a friendly sparring match then, _little sis?_"


	4. Sibling Rivalry

_**Chapter 3: Sibling Rivalry**_

"Hello, _big brother_," Kiyoko said, narrowing her eyes, her usually gentle voice now laced with resentment.

"So, how about that sparring match?" Nushi asked with a confident smile on his face.

"Oh, you are _so _on!" A competitive fire had been sparked between them, and I doubt anyone could have put that fire out. I looked at Issun bouncing on my nose, wondering if this was a normal occurrence.

"Man, those two are always fighting!" he said. "They fight each other all the time to try and see who's the better warrior. The both of them definitely have their father's spirit!" _How does Issun do that? He _always _knows what I'm thinking! _My mind drifting again, Issun brought me back to the matter at hand.

The two siblings circled each other, both poised for battle. The sparks flying between them charged the very air with tension. I got nervous as they drew their swords, worried that someone was going to get hurt.

"Do not worry, ma chérie_. _They never actually hurt themselves. It's just a little sparring." I turned around to see that Waka had come in out of nowhere.

"Where have you been, pretty boy?" Issun asked, his tone making it apparent that he didn't actually care about the answer.

"Oh, nowhere. Let me guess. Those two are at it again?" Waka pointed out the scene before them.

"What else is new?" Our attentions suddenly turned to the persons in question as the fight started.

The clinking sound of metal on metal filled the air as brother and sister clashed swords. Their movements were perfectly in sync, neither missing a step. Like Waka said, no one was being harmed. Only their swords made contact as they danced their elaborate dance of swords, moving with grace and precision that almost seemed rehearsed. Of course, Nushi and Kiyoko _have _been practicing since they knew how to hold a sword.

The swordfight dragged on, and most likely would not be over for a while. Both had extraordinary stamina, and this fight would never end until one of them gave in. Taking into consideration their extreme competitiveness, that was not likely to happen.

Next thing I knew, their swords caught in deadlock, both equally matched in power. One fought against the other in a struggle to knock the other back and take control of the fight.

"You've gotten pretty good, Kiki," Nushi said. "But not good enough!" He deflected Kiyoko's sword, breaking the deadlock. She slashed at him to counter, only for her attack to be parried. Nushi then lunged at her, but she quickly dodged in one fluid movement.

Still, they fought, but the long battle was wearing on them. Both were out of breath, but neither was about to surrender. In spite of their exhaustion, the two siblings continued fighting. After a few more minutes, though, there was finally an end in sight.

Nushi knocked Kiyoko's sword out of her hand, and it was all over. He held her at sword point, and that was it. Nushi was victorious.

"Sorry, little sis, maybe next time!" he smirked.

"Believe me, I _will _defeat you next time!" Kiyoko replied with a sneer.

"How about right now, then?"

Sigh. At the rate these two were going, we were about to have yet another fight on our hands. Do they ever stop fighting? Somehow, I seriously doubted that.

"Cut it out, you two!" Issun snapped, cutting off their dispute. "Let's just call it a day already, okay?" Having said that, the sun had already started to dip below the horizon. The quarreling twosome reluctantly agreed and soon calmed down.

We headed to Sakuya's tree, getting ready to settle in for the night. Usually, Sakuya would come out to greet us. But today, there was no sign of her whatsoever. Her tree, Konohana, wasn't looking so well, either. It had lost all its beautiful cherry blossom petals, leaving it bare like that time before when it was cursed . . . oh no!

This meant that the evil currently plaguing Nippon is now starting to spill over into Kamiki Village, normally protected by Sakuya's divine powers. If whatever is behind this was strong enough to curse the sacred guardian tree Konohana, then it is clearly getting stronger by the day. Maybe as powerful as Orochi . . . or possibly even more powerful.

I lay down, unable to sleep with these thoughts troubling me so. Looking over at Waka, I noticed that he was still awake, as well.

"Can't sleep, ma chérie?" he said gently. "Neither can I. The recent state of things is very concerning. I can sense the dark entity gaining power quickly. Even the sacred tree has now been cursed . . . we need to do something about it."

He knew it, too. The darkness is growing, and we _do _need to do something about it. I sighed inwardly. I put my head on Waka's lap and closed my eyes as he gently stroked my fur. The gentle, rhythmic motion of his hand soothed me, and I soon drifted off into sleep.

The next day, we prepared to head out towards the Moon Cave. I'm not sure myself why, but something drew me there. I had a feeling that our new foe lay in wait for us there. First, though, we decided to stop by Agata Forest, a beautiful forest just a little ways from Shinshu Field. Before we left, Kiyoko came running up.

"Amaterasu! Wait!" she called as she hurried over. "You're going outside the village, right?" I nodded my head, and she continued. "Well, I was wondering . . . may I . . . come with you?"

"No way!" shouted Issun. "It's way too dangerous out there for you, Kiki!"

"What my little bouncing friend means to say is, that is a cursed zone out there, and it is very risky for a human to enter one," Waka added. But no matter what we said to her, she refused to be talked out of it.

"Come on, Kiki!" Issun said, exasperated. "You're being stubborn as a mule!"

"I don't care!" she yelled. Then, her voice took on an unexpected pleading tone. "Please . . . I've never even been outside of Kamiki once. I just want to see more of Nippon. I want more adventure in my life. So please, _please_ let me come!"

". . . Fine," Issun grumbled. "As long as you promise you can take care of yourself in that cursed zone."

"Who cares about that stupid curse?" she scoffed. "I promise, you won't have to worry about me! 'Cause I am a warrior, and I can handle stuff like that easy!" With nothing left to say, we set out to Agata Forest.


	5. Exploration

_**Chapter 4: Exploration**_

Passing through Shinshu Field, it struck me that this strange mist lurking about seemed awfully familiar . . . then a name came to mind. Blight.

Blight, a terrible monster that plagued the people of the capital city, Sei-an. He put out an evil mist that made most people ill, inflicting crippling pain upon them. Only those strong and fit did not succumb to its effects. Kiyoko was one of these lucky few, toughened by years of physical training.

Strange thing was, I had defeated Blight several years ago. _Has he returned? _I wondered. _How can that be possible?_ Not wanting to think too much on it, I continued on towards Agata Forest.

Crossing the waterway, we soon arrived at the forest. The mist still lingered, but it wasn't really for a problem for anybody. Except for Kiyoko, who began to feel the effects of it.

"I feel strange . . ." she said, looking a bit uneasy. Soon as she said that, though, she shook it off and resumed her normal personality. Right away, she started dashing around the forest, eager to see everything there was to see. Moving way too fast and turning her head like an owl, she could not see the large tree blocking her path.

"Whoa, Kiki, look out!" Issun warned, a little too late. Kiyoko slammed right into the tree, stopping her dead in her tracks. Dazed for an instant, she fell over backwards, then almost immediately snapped out of it. I smiled to myself. Graceful as she was in battle, her clumsiness showed everywhere else she went. Earlier today, she hit her head on a tree branch that hung lower than the others. Still, she remained happy-go-lucky, always taking whatever came her way with a positive outlook. She had an amazing ability to shake off anything that got thrown at her, taking it with a smile.

"I'm fine!" she yelled from her spot on the ground. "I meant to do that!"

"Sure ya did, Kiki!" Issun shouted back, laughing. Waka simply watched the scene with an air of amusement about him. Kiyoko stood up, dusted herself off, and then ran off in a different direction. Afraid she would go charging into another tree, I chased after her. When we stopped, she glanced up at something in the sky.

"What's that thing?" She pointed to what had caught her interest. "It looks like a floating flower . . ." I followed her gaze to find what she was staring at. A Konohana Blossom, a medium for one of my Celestial Brush techniques called Vine. Calling upon the Celestial Brush, I painted a line from the blossom to my body. A vine sprouted from it and followed the line I made before tying itself around my body. It then pulled me to where to flower hovered in the sky.

Kiyoko's eyes widened as she watched in amazement. Though she knew of my divine nature, she did not yet know of my true powers. Using the power of my Celestial Brush, I can bend the world to my will with a few brushstrokes. Already recovered from the shock of such a discovery, Kiyoko became more excited than she was before.

"Cool!" she exclaimed. "Hey, can you do that with me, too?" Unable to see a reason not to, I commanded another vine to tie itself around her. It easily pulled Kiyoko, whom was screaming with joy the entire way up. The Konohana Blossom provided a small platform for both of us to stand on. The two of us admired the view from the flower floating high in the sky. After a while, I made the vines gently set us back down on the ground.

"Having fun, you two?" Waka asked, speaking up for the first time since we came here. "We've spent quite some time here. We should leave for the Moon Cave soon."

_Oh. Right. We were supposed to go there today. _I nearly forgot that entirely in the midst of our forest fun.

"Yeah, of course," Kiyoko sighed, slightly depressed. Then, bouncing back like she always does, continued happily. "Alright, let's go to the Moon Cave!" With the agreement unanimous, we all left the forest and headed towards the Moon Cave.

o~*~o

Standing at the top of the stairs, I peered down the path that led to the dreaded Moon Cave, the place where the evil 8-headed serpent Orochi made its lair once upon a time. Although that pesky serpent has been dead for years, its dark essence still remained, leaving a bitter stench in the air.

We started down the path, my heart pounding. My thoughts began to race. _This is where we will face our new enemy. We know it's as powerful as Orochi, maybe even more so. What if I'm not strong enough? What if I fail?_

I shook my head, trying to clear my mind. _I need to focus! _Waka looked over at me, noticing my anxiety.

"Are you okay, ma chérie?" he asked, his voice gentle and laced with concern. He then gave me a reassuring smile and said, "We'll make it though this. Together." That alone was enough to restore my courage, if not at least some.

Before I realized it, we were at the entrance of the Moon Cave. The sight of it brought back memories of my battle with Orochi. Now, I end up here once again, a new enemy lying in wait. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the cave.

The air was thick with Orochi's vile scent, making it hard to breathe. It felt as if there was a lingering presence around us, like Orochi himself was breathing down our necks. Everybody was on edge, even the carefree Kiyoko. I glanced around, searching for our new foe, and . . . nothing.

Looking more closely, still I saw nothing. No one else could see anything, either. I waited, half-hoping that something would leap out from the shadows at us. When that didn't happen, I realized that our trip here was in vain. The battle we had been anticipating would not take place here. I was ambushed by mixed feelings of relief and disappointment.

"C'mon, guys, there's nothing here," Issun said, sounding somewhat disappointed himself. "Let's go."

"Y-Yeah!" Kiyoko agreed all too quickly. "L-L-Let's go!" She bolted out of the cave in a heartbeat, followed by the rest of us.

That dark force is out there somewhere, this I knew for a fact. It was just a matter of finding _where _it's hiding. Nippon is a large land, but if we searched long and hard, our enemy would show up sooner or later.

With that, I made my way back, preparing myself for the beginning of a brand-new journey . . .


	6. Fireflies

_**Chapter 5: Fireflies**_

With the day coming to an end, we returned to Kamiki Village. Settling by my favorite spot by the sacred tree Konohana, I saw that its condition was worsening. The evil running rampant now affected the tree—and Sakuya. She grew weaker and weaker by the day, until it came to the point where she could not even appear before us, only able to rest within the tree. This curse needed to be lifted soon, or Sakuya will . . .

I banished those thoughts to the back of my mind. I knew that this curse _would _be broken, and hopefully soon. In the darkness, there flickered small glints of light. Everyone knew right away what the source of these lights were.

"Fireflies!" Kiyoko exclaimed in wonder. "They're so pretty!"

"Well, what do ya know?" Issun said. "You don't see many fireflies around this time of year!"

We watched as the lightning bugs danced around us, their glow bringing light to the dark night.

"You know . . ." Kiyoko started, a bit quieter than usual. "I heard once that fireflies are actually remnants of the souls of the dearly departed." Her expression became somber yet peaceful, as if recalling a bittersweet memory. A firefly landed on her finger and she held it up to her face, smiling sadly.

Another one brushed past my nose, causing me to sneeze. We all laughed, and looked on as the fireflies slowly drifted off into the night sky.

o~*~o

The next morning, I got up early as usual to find that Kiyoko was also up. I would expect Waka to be awake at this time—he's _always_ up before me—but Kiyoko should have been asleep. The sun was just starting to peek above the horizon, and everyone else still slept. But there she stood, staring intently at the rising sun. There were circles under her eyes, as if she didn't sleep at all. Did she stay awake all night?

When I walked up to her, she failed to notice me, so I nudged her with my nose to get her attention. She acknowledged my presence with a glance in my direction, sadness in her amethyst eyes. I whined softly, expressing my concern. She smiled weakly.

"Hello, Amaterasu," she said. "Mind if I call you Snowflake? I think it's a nice nickname." I barked to let her know that I like it. Snowflake. That's actually quite close to what her mother Kushi always called me—Snowy. Kiyoko then went back to being uncharacteristically serious.

"I couldn't sleep last night," she sighed, "but you probably already figured that out. I had a dream—a premonition, almost. I know I'm probably being paranoid, but I just can't shake the feeling that something horrible is going to happen to me. And that scares me."

I wished I could talk then, so I would be able to tell her that nothing bad could ever happen as long as she stayed with us. I slid my head through her arms, and she responded by hugging me. She was trembling, shaken by her premonition. As much as I wanted to do more for her, this was all I could do to comfort her. She gazed over at the tree, most likely trying to take her mind off things.

"I probably would be able to revive that tree," she said thoughtfully, catching me by surprise. "I have great spiritual power, or so they say. I could do that dance, like Old Man Orange used to do." That brought back memories. Mr. Orange danced to the sacred tree, claiming he could communicate with the spirit of the tree. I did not expect Kiyoko to claim to have that same ability. Anyway, that was a bridge to be crossed later.

Later on, with everyone now awake, we set out once more in search of the dark force infecting the beautiful land we call home. _Home . . . ? _Memories of the Celestial Plain, my _real _home flashed through my mind. That day . . . I had been so close. It was just within my grasp, so close I could almost touch it!

"Ammy!" Issun's voice broke through my thoughts. "Ammy, look out!" Unfortunately, he didn't warn me fast enough, so I ended up tripping and tumbled into the river. I gave him a glare and a low growl.

"It wasn't my fault!" he said. "You're the one who wasn't paying attention!" Apparently, everyone thought that was funny. Issun burst out laughing, Kiyoko giggled, and even Waka was trying to hide his laughter. Well, I'll show them!

Whipping out my Celestial Brush, I drew a line from the river to each of them—another of my techniques called Waterspout. The water flowed into the line I made, drenching them all.

"Oh, Ammy!"

"My goodness!"

"Eek! Cold!"

Their complaints only satisfied me more as I dragged myself out of the river. With a wolfy grin on my face, I put the cherry on top by shaking out my wet fur, giving them another shower of water. I smirked at the expressions on their faces. But now it's time to get back to our mission. For some reason, Ryoshima Coast seemed a good place to start. Only thing was, Ryoshima Coast was quite some distance from where we were. Then I remembered something very useful . . .

I led the others to a small spring near the local Dojo, where I would occasionally go to train and become stronger. Although for now, I focused on the spring nearby. It may look like an ordinary spring to many, but it was much more than that. At its center, there was a spot where the water there was slightly different, glowing a soft sea foam green. I took out a Mermaid Coin, a grungy-looking coin necessary to activate the spring. I tossed it into the water, and the waves swirled around, creating a small whirlpool. This is called a Mermaid Spring, one of many portals that are rumored to be used by mermaids.

I motioned to the others to jump in. Only Issun and I knew of these special springs, and it caught the other two off guard.

"W-Wait," Kiyoko said, somewhat nervous. "Are you sure that thing's safe?" She pointed at the mini whirlpool.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Waka stated, taking things into stride as usual. He gracefully leaped in and disappeared into the small portal.

"Here I come!" Kiyoko yelled, already over all nervousness. Taking a running start, it came as no surprise when she stumbled and literally fell head over heels into the water. I leapt in, and away to Ryoshima Coast we went.


	7. A Shocking Surprise

_**Chapter 6: A Shocking Surprise**_

In an instant, we were transported halfway across Nippon to Ryoshima Coast. Right away, I knew we were closer than ever to the mysterious enemy still in hiding. A foreboding aura lurked in the air, threatening to reduce the entire area to nothing but a cursed zone. The Guardian Sapling must be revived again before that happens.

Scattered across Nippon, offshoots of the sacred tree Konohana offer protection to the land around it. These are called Guardian Saplings. By the looks of Ryoshima Coast, it is apparent that its Guardian Sapling has become corroded with evil. To make matters even worse, the mist of Blight did not dissipate, instead growing stronger as we drew near. This presented a problem, because Kiyoko, strong as she was, could not fight off the mist's effects now that it has grown in power.

She tried to hide the pain she must now be feeling, but I knew she was not well by the way she acted. She was struggling to even stay upright, moaning lightly from the pain. Something needed to be done about this; otherwise Kiyoko wouldn't be able to continue. Calling on my Celestial Brush, I drew a single loop in the air, activating the technique called Galestorm. A strong divine wind blew through Ryoshima Coast, driving back the mist. Not expecting the sudden gust of wind, Kiyoko got blown over, unable to brace herself.

The air was now clear of the horrid mist, but the dark presence still remained, so I headed towards the Guardian Sapling. As I thought, its power was failing, on the verge of wilting. Painting a circle over the tree, it was restored instantly in a shower of cherry blossom petals—another technique called Bloom. The menacing aura immediately vanished, and Ryoshima Coast was returned to its natural beauty. Yet I couldn't shake the feeling that something was still amiss . . . But anyway, North Ryoshima Coast was the next place to search.

Crossing the border, we arrived at the northern part of Ryoshima Coast. The evil here was even more powerful. The entire area here was reduced to a cursed zone, leaving everything desolate and barren. It was always a terrible and depressing sight to see, with all life mercilessly destroyed by the sheer power of darkness itself. I saw something out of the corner of my eye, but I chose to ignore it. The Guardian Sapling was out of reach for now, and staying here would be too risky for Kiyoko, so we left the empty wasteland that was once North Ryoshima Coast behind us.

o~*~o

The day was coming to a close and we needed to regroup for now, so we headed to Sasa Sanctuary in Taka Pass. We checked into the Sparrow Inn—which is, in fact, run by actual sparrows—to rest for the night.

"Welcome to Sparrow Inn!" chirped the hostess. "We hope you enjoy your stay!"

"Thank you, we will," Waka replied politely. The young sparrow blushed in response. _Always the charmer, he is! _I thought to myself. _I don't blame her, though, with that cute French accent of his. And he's good-looking, as well . . . Wait, what am I doing? Snap out of it!_

Leaving it at that, I walked to my room with Kiyoko, and I could swear I felt heat rising in my face, as if in spite of the fact that I am a wolf. Trying to take my mind off that, I eyed one of the little sparrows dashing around, carting plates of food for the other customers. I swished my tail out, tripping the bird and sending his serving tray filled with food into the air. To my amazement, he actually caught every single plate, and then continued his frantic dashing around the inn, like nothing just happened.

When we made it to our room, there was our meal laid out for us. I caught a whiff of the drink, and it distinctly smelled like _sake_ (Japanese alcohol, for those of you who don't know), so I decided to taste it. It was definitely _sake_, and it was strong, too. Kiyoko clearly didn't notice or didn't care, as she went ahead and drank it. She must have liked it, because she started to drink even more of it. This will not turn out well.

Apparently, that _sake_ was all too strong, as it intoxicated Kiyoko to the point of absolutely losing all common sense. Next thing I knew, she made her way out of the room and went someplace else in the inn. I wasn't too worried, as I figured she was so out of it that she would pass out sooner or later. Boy, was I ever wrong!

**3****rd**** Person**

In the next room were Waka and Issun, which is to say that it was not a very good idea to have them stay together in the same room.

"Are you prepared, my little bouncing friend?" Waka said, quite confident.

"More than you know, ya half-baked prophet!" Issun snapped back.

"We'll see about that . . ."

"Yeah? Well, how about this?"

Of course, they weren't actually fighting, but only playing a not-so-friendly game of _shogi _(the Japanese version of chess). Issun slammed his piece down on the board, close to checkmate. At that moment, a very tipsy Kiyoko stumbled in, tripping over practically every piece of furniture in the room. Being drunk did _not _help her coordination.

"Hey, Kiki," Issun said, a bit wary. "Uh, what are you doing here?"

"Me? I jus' wanna have some fun!" she slurred. Both Issun and Waka did not like the sound of this. She stumbled towards them with a strange, unsettling look in her eyes. She then plopped down on the floor next to them.

"Waka," she cooed, "why don' you an' me have some _fun?_" This caught him off guard. He backed away, not wanting to find out what her current definition of "fun" was. She inched even closer to him, then suddenly threw herself into his arms, snuggling him.

"Th-That's enough now," he said, pushing her away.

"My, my! You naughty boy!"

"What?" Only then did he realize that he had unknowingly placed his hand right on her chest. Embarrassed, he quickly pulled his hand away. But it was too late. That little mishap gave Kiyoko more cause to get excited. Way too excited. In the midst of her fit of happiness, she somehow managed to knock Waka down on his back. Seizing the opportunity, Kiyoko lay on top of him, getting even more . . . _affectionate. _

"Whaddya think you're doin', man?" Issun yelled at Waka. "She's probably gonna _do _somethin' to ya if you don't get her off you soon!"

"I would if I could," Waka grunted as he tried to shove Kiyoko off him, "but she's stronger than she looks!"

"Yeah, sure! You just can't handle a little girl, and a drunk one, no less!"

"Quiet, you pesky insect!"

"I am _not _a 'insect'! Or did you forget that already forget that, pretty boy?"

Meanwhile, in the next room . . .

**Amaterasu**

_Ugh. That _sake_ sure packs a punch. _I lay sprawled out on the floor, groggy from finishing off the _sake_ that Kiyoko didn't gulp down. My ears picked up some noise from the next room. Listening closer, it sounded like there was a bunch of commotion going on in there. Curious, I heaved myself up from the floor and staggered on out to the source of the noise.

_It's probably just some guys having a party or something, _I thought as I walked. _I'll just tell 'em to tone it down a bit and—What in heaven's name is going on? _I saw before me a scene of absolute chaos.

Waka and Issun were having another battle yet another battle of wits as usual. Then I noticed something very wrong with this picture. Waka was down on the ground with Kiyoko on top of him. _By the Gods, they're not . . . Oh, that tears it! _Rage building in me, I brought out the Celestial Brush without knowing what exactly I was to do with it.

I slammed the brush down and managed one messy circle with a line coming out of it—a technique I like to call _Cherry Bomb!_

As the name suggests, a large cherry bomb appeared in the middle of the room, fuse lit and ready to blow.

"What were you thinking, ya big furball?" Issun shouted at me, his voice carrying hints of panic. "You're gonna blow us all up! Including you!" _Whoops, guess I didn't think about that. Well, time for me to scram! _I fled from the room, followed by Waka and Issun.

But for some crazy reason, Kiyoko refused to leave, apparently fascinated by the colorful bomb. Then came the expected explosion along with Kiyoko's cry.

We walked back into the now demolished room to find her passed out, looking extra crispy. Yet she turned out fine; she survived and was only asleep. She was returned to our room, and we all did the same, putting an end to one of the most insane nights ever.

The following morning, I woke up feeling perfectly fine. Kiyoko, on the other hand, stayed in bed suffering from a bad hangover. It seems that even she cannot simply shake off something like that. She slowly rose, holding her head.

"Good morning, Snowflake," she groaned. "Oh, my head . . ."

A little later, when Kiyoko was feeling somewhat better, we headed back to North Ryoshima Coast. Everyone hovered tentatively at the edge of the cursed zone. Me, Waka and Issun would be fine, but Kiyoko . . . She said she could take care of herself, but I'm not so sure.

"I'm going in," she said, entirely serious. "No matter what, I am going through that cursed zone! I won't let it get the best of me!"

And that was it. We all knew that when she's made up her mind, there was no stopping her. There was no choice but to let her go. Brimming with confidence, she marched right in without hesitation. We stood at the ready, prepared to pull her out if need be.

Within her first steps in, Kiyoko went stiff, ceasing to move. For a terrifying moment, I feared that she had fallen to the curse. Thankfully, she broke free and scrambled back to safety.

"Wh-What was that?" she gasped, shocked by the experience.

"That, my friend, is the power of a cursed zone," Waka replied. "And that is why we were so against you coming along in the first place. Now I hope you see the risk this presents for you."

". . . Alright. I'm ready to try again!"

"You can't do that, Kiki!" Issun intervened. "You know what's gonna happen to ya if you do!"

"He's right," Waka agreed. "You just now felt for yourself the effects of the curse. Had you stayed any longer, chances are you would have turned to stone."

"Yeah, what he said! Wait a sec, did I just agree with the half-baked prophet?"

"Why, yes you did, my little bouncing friend."

"Alright, you win," Kiyoko sighed, reluctant to give in. "I won't go in there . . . for now. But next time, I _will _be ready for sure!"

There was no use in arguing any more, so we transported back to Kamiki Village. But right before I jumped in, I now took notice of what I caught a glimpse of earlier. It then hit me that the strange island was all too familiar, fear filling my heart.

It was none other than Oni Island.


	8. Cherry Blossom Shower

_**Chapter 7: Cherry Blossom Shower**_

We made it safely back to Kamiki Village, but my nerves were still on edge. Even with only a brief glimpse of it, I was certain that what I saw was Oni Island, a demonic island that used to be the stronghold of evil. Emphasis on _used to_, as it had disintegrated after being cleansed of evil.

But, in that instant, I knew it couldn't be anything else. In that moment, I looked right at the island, the island that had the face of a demon.

"Snowflake! Stop staring into space and come over here!" Kiyoko called. I forced the gloomy thoughts of that place away, running over to Kiyoko and the others.

"Good, you're here. Look around you, Snowflake." She spun around with her arms out wide, emphasizing her words. "The village is returning to normal!"

Doing what she said, the village did seem to be doing better than before, when the powers of the Guardian Tree had faded. A fresh breeze drifted by, bringing with it a sense of renewal. The cherry blossom trees stood proud and tall in a perpetual shower of flower petals. The sacred tree itself has also recovered, if not somewhat, with new leaves sprouting on its majestic branches.

Kiyoko gazed steadily at the tree, a steely look of determination in her violet eyes. Now that I think about it, she did mention something about having the ability to rejuvenate Konohana. You could almost feel her impatience and anticipation as she hurried up to the sacred deck, the rest of us close behind.

She took her place at the center, facing the great Guardian Tree. We were skeptic as to whether she could revive it, at least without my help, but still we watched to see what would happen. Kiyoko started to dance, and I held my brush at the ready in the case that her actions had no effect. That was the case with old Mr. Orange, he danced to revive Konohana as well, but I had to assist him with my Celestial Brush. I figured it would be the same with Kiyoko, or so I thought.

None of us could believe our eyes as she went through the steps of the elaborate dance with extraordinary grace, sharply contrasting her usual clumsiness. Her movements flowed like water, seeming to move and bend with the breeze. It was a sight to see as she moved as if she was a part of nature itself, matching its natural rhythm.

And, to our collective amazement, Konohana had been touched by her pure spirit, cherry blossoms beginning to bloom. Within the next minute, Kiyoko finished her dance with a flourish, and the Guardian Tree was restored in a flurry of blossoms. _Her power alone was enough reach the spirit of the sacred tree._ She had been right when she said her spiritual power was great. Having been through all that, she retired to one of the tree's branches, one of her favorite spots to relax. It seemed like she was always hanging out there, just resting that same tree branch all the time.

Kamiki Village was back to normal, and although I should have been happy and all, I felt anything but. My thoughts had snapped back to Oni Island, and I could feel nothing but dread. I was sure that our enemy lay in wait for us there, for why else would the cursed island return? My anxiety grew at the thought of having to face this new, stronger enemy until I could no longer bear it. It overtook me, nearly driving me mad.

In a desperate attempt to catch the others' attention, I acted out, barking wildly and spinning in circles, doing just about anything to draw attention. Naturally, the others noticed and came over. Each of them had expressions of concern on their faces, obviously worried about me.

"What's wrong with ya, Ammy?" Issun asked. "You're acting really weird . . ."

"Yes, you are," Waka agreed. "Please, let us know what is the matter, ma chérie." From the look on his face, I knew that he was more concerned than anyone else here.

But it wasn't like I could just tell them what's wrong, since I was a wolf and they were not. And as far as I knew, wolves couldn't talk to humans, and vice versa. _Or maybe they can . . ._ I'd never actually tried to before, but then again, I never had a reason to. And since I am a goddess, it's very possible that I could communicate with them on a psychic level. Waka and Issun may actually hear me, and maybe even Kiyoko, what with her strong faith in the gods. Well, I'll never know until I try.

"_Um . . . guys?_" I started timidly, unsure of what to say. "_Can . . . can you hear me?_" They might have heard me, because they looked around, appearing slightly confused. This time with more confidence, I shouted, "_Hey! Can you hear me now?_" From the looks of bewilderment aimed in my direction, I took that as a 'yes.'

"Y-You can talk, Ammy?" said Issun, infamous for stating the obvious.

"_What do you think?_" I replied sarcastically.

"But, I mean . . . how come ya never talked before?"

I winked, a somewhat strange gesture from a wolf. "_Never had a reason to._"

"Wow, I never thought a wolf could talk!" Kiyoko exclaimed.

"_You can hear me, too?_" I was caught by surprise. Yes, I had entertained the notion of her actually being able to understand me, but I never really expected her to.

"Of course I can hear you! Why wouldn't I? Your voice is clear as day!" Truth be told, I shouldn't have been too shocked by this since she had already shown that her spiritual power was strong. It makes sense for her to be able to hear the voice of a god.

"_Oh, that's right!_" I almost forgot the very reason I spoke up in the first place. "_I have something important to tell you._" First making sure everyone was listening to this, I then continued. "_It's back. Oni Island has returned._"

Waka and Issun were taken aback, but Kiyoko was completely clueless. There was no way she could have known that Oni Island had even existed, much less what it was. We quickly briefed her on the evil island and how it had disappeared many years ago. Now fully realizing the gravity of the situation, she, too, was left speechless.

"Well . . . If Oni Island has indeed returned," Waka said after the long silence, "then we should go there ourselves. The only problem is to find a way in . . ."

"_Yes, but we should at least search the nearby area_." I stated. "_There may be a secret passageway or something we didn't see before._"

"You are right. We shall leave immediately."

"Aw, we just got back!" Kiyoko whined, then suddenly had second thoughts. "But who's complaining? It'll be fun to have anotheradventure, so let's go!" It was truly amazing how she could manage to always look on the bright side of things.

Once again, we returned to North Ryoshima Coast via Mermaid Spring. I started to really dislike those then, as I was getting dizzy and disoriented from hopping from one location to another. Nothing seemed to have changed there. The area was still cursed, and Oni Island still lurked in the distance. I didn't think there was anything else to be found here when I caught the scent of something. It was unfamiliar to me, so I tracked the scent to its source. At first, I couldn't figure it out, as the trail seemed lead me absolutely nowhere. Upon closer examination, I discovered a tiny hole no bigger than the tip of my claw.

I called out to the others to alert them to what I found as I pawed at the ground, trying to make the hole a little bigger. When they came, none of them could even see it until I pointed it out, it was so small.

"_What do you guys think this might be?_" I asked them, hoping to shed some light as to what exactly that hole was.

"Hmm . . ." Issun considered the small hole. "Looks like a tunnel or something, but it's so small, you'd have to be as small as me to get in there!" _That's impossible!_ I thought, but then I recalled a very handy tool.

Not really expecting it to come, I went ahead and attempted to summon the tool anyway. To my surprise, it actually came to me—even after so many years! The Lucky Mallet, a magical object with the ability to shrink things down to the size of a flea.

"Oh, yeah!" Issun said, having forgotten about it. "The mallet still came for ya after all these years! Talk about loyal!"

The sight of the mallet brought back memories of my previous journey, when I had to venture beyond the walls of the Imperial Palace back in the capital. But I won't go into that now.

"How's that mallet going to help us any?" asked Kiyoko, clueless as to what the mallet actually did.

I explained to her how the Lucky Mallet works, and how it can shrink people. "That sounds cool and all, but how can a mallet shrink people?" She examined the mallet curiously. "What do we do, bop them on the head with it?"

"Not exactly," I laughed. "But you're on the right track. It kind of hits you, but it doesn't hurt. You shrink before you even know it."

"Yeah? Then let's give this thing a try! Hammer away!" Again, I wonder where Kiyoko gets all that positivity, that upbeat and carefree personality.

With all that behind us, I figured it was about time to get back to business. Like last time, Issun lifted up the Lucky Mallet, holding it high above his head, ready to shrink us.

"Are you sure we should trust him with that?" Waka teased. "He might hurt someone with it, namely himself."

"If you don't shut up, _you're _gonna be the one that's getting hurt!" Issun snapped, his usually green glow turning red. And so they launched right into yet another battle of words. But now's not the time for that.

"_Cut it out, you two!_" I barked, interrupting them. "_Seriously, can't you guys go three seconds without being at each others' throats?_" Reluctantly, they both went quiet. "_Now, shall we get back to the matter at hand?_"

"All righty then," Issun said. "Now where was I? Oh yeah, the Lucky Mallet." He picked up the mallet he had dropped earlier. "Mallet, do your thing!" he said as he brings the mallet down on us.

Next thing we know, we had shrunk down to about Issun's size. Kiyoko and Waka stared at Issun weirdly, like they didn't even recognize him. I look curiously at them wondering the reason for their reactions, then I realize only I have ever seen Issun up close like this before.

You see, Issun is the size of a dust bunny and no one else really knows what he actually looks like, as he is just a speck to most. And trust me, even _I _couldn't tell it was him the first time I shrunk down to his size, he looks so different.

Up close, you can see that he has pale green eyes, and he wears an odd-looking green helmet with bug-like antennae on it. You can also tell that his sword, Denkomaru, doubles as his brush. I have to admit, he's kind of cute.

"Ah ha ha! You should see the looks on your faces!" Issun laughed. "C'mon, you guys, let's do what we came here to do instead of standin' around like a bunch of idiots!" He had us there.

No point in arguing, so we leapt into the hole and the next step of our adventure . . .


	9. Down to Size

_**Chapter 8: Down to Size**_

As it turned out, the hole I had found was indeed a small tunnel leading who knows where. Well, there was only one way to find out where it led.

The tunnel was relatively straightforward, without any other passageways branching from it. We walked along in silence, anticipating whatever lies ahead. Then I saw that something was off about Kiyoko.

First of all, she remained quiet, when normally she would be the one to break the silence. She acted nervous, which we usually never saw in her. She was looking down steadily; occasionally glancing up, then just as quickly turned her gaze back to the ground.

None of it made any sense to me, until I noticed something else. Her gaze, when she was looking up, was directed at Issun, and she looked away when he looked back at her. That seemed particularly odd, unless she . . . it couldn't be! It was hard to tell in the dark tunnel, but it looked like she was . . . blushing? That's when it clicked together in my head.

Kiyoko had a crush on Issun.

I wondered why she would suddenly have such a change of affections for her long-time friend, and then I remembered that she had never seen him up close before. I pitied the poor girl. Why did she have to crush on _Issun_, of all people?

Everyone knew that he's a notorious pervert, chasing after every pretty lady he sees. I was fairly certain that he did not feel the same way for Kiyoko, though . . . or did he? It was impossible to tell with him—he would never show his feelings like that.

But, having said that, I realized that he took no note of Kiyoko's peculiar behavior. Then again, being the dense idiot that he is, he probably didn't even notice.

Kiyoko decided to be a little bolder. She inched closer to Issun, but stayed at a respectable distance. I could see she was still too timid to make any other move. I smiled to myself. I would never have guessed that the fierce yet carefree Kiyoko would be turned shy. It only proved that, in spite of herself, she was a young, innocent maiden. Her mother was that way, as well. Kushi . . . she's so pure and innocent to the ways of the world, and it seems she has passed that on to her daughter.

I looked to Waka. I'm not sure what his thoughts were on this as he watched the scene with an unreadable expression on his face. His eyes met mine, and we silently agreed to leave those two be. This was their business, and we should let them take care of it.

We fell back a few steps, watching and waiting to see if anything would happen between the two.

At last, Issun finally acknowledged Kiyoko's shy glances, turning his head to meet her gaze. Their eyes locked, and for a second I thought I could sense a spark or two between them. And, it may have been a trick of my own imagination, but I think I might have seen something almost like a blush coloring Issun's cheeks.

So maybe I was wrong. Maybe these two both have feelings toward each other. But it dawned on me that it would never work. With Issun being no bigger than a flea, that relationship would be doomed from the start.

After what seemed to be an eternity, darkness gave way to blinding light as we made it through the end of the tunnel. Once I recovered from the sudden brightness, I saw that the Lucky Mallet had returned us to normal size. I then looked around to see where the tunnel had led us.

The tiny tunnel had conveniently placed us on the island on which the Guardian Sapling was located. This one had completely wilted, its power stolen by evil. In one swift motion, I used Bloom to revive the tree.

The Guardian Sapling's power now restored, the curse faded, life returning the North Ryoshima Coast. Kiyoko's eyes widened in awe, her first time witnessing what was known as a Great Divine Intervention. North Ryoshima, no longer under the influence of evil, was now back to its beautiful self.

At that moment, I saw a floating scroll out of the corner of my eye. A Demon Scroll, the embodiment of evil. Touch one, and you will be engaged in battle with the demons trapped inside. Caught in its line of sight, the scroll raced towards us, making contact.

A barrier emerged around us, and a handful of imps appeared. Nothing we couldn't handle; we took care of them in a matter of less than a minute. The barrier disappeared, and it was over just like that.

Then, I caught sight of something worse than a Demon Scroll—a Devil Gate. Like Demon Scrolls, they throw you into battle upon contact. _Un_like Demon Scrolls, which consists of one battle, Devil Gates send wave upon wave of enemies, each tougher than the last.

Foolish as she was, Kiyoko headed straight for it, unknowing of the danger she was about to face.

"Kiyoko! No!" I cried. "Don't go in there!"

Taking no heed of my warning, she entered the Devil Gate. I chased after her, trying to prevent her from fighting alone, if anything else. But it was no use. The barrier had already formed, locking me out.

Kiyoko had to do this by herself, _without our help_.

We tried desperately to break through the barrier, attacking it over and over, to no avail. All we could do was look on in horror as she fought off the demons on her own. Our only comfort in this was that at least she wasn't totally helpless, with considerable knowledge in self-defense.

She slashed away at the demons with her sword, holding her own against the onslaught. The demons kept on coming at her, one after the other. Finally, the demons' numbers diminished as each turned into flowers at death. The barrier dissipated at last, signaling the end of the fight.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Kiyoko made it through unscathed, with only cuts and bruises. All of us crowded around her, relieved to see she was all right. She looked up at us, out of breath, with that smile she always seemed to have on her face.

"So," she panted, "what was that thing anyway?" She turned to where the gate was to find that it was gone. "And where did it go?"

"_That was a Devil Gate, Kiyoko_," I explained. "_And you are very lucky to have made it out alive_." I looked to the spot where the gate once stood. Freed from the grip of evil, the life there returned.

". . . ? What's that over there?" Kiyoko was staring at the wall near where the Devil Gate used to be.

I followed her gaze to see a hole in the wall there. "_Looks like some sort of cave_."

"Well, what're we waiting for? A written invitation?" Issun interjected. "Let's go in there!"

We made our way to the cave, unaware of the danger that awaited us . . .


	10. Sacrifice

_**Chapter 9: Sacrifice**_

Waka halted us at the mouth of the mysterious cave. We looked at him questioningly.

"_What is it, Waka?_" I asked.

"I sense an evil presence in that cave . . . It is stronger than that of a regular demon." Now brought to my attention, I too, could sense it—the smell of evil hanging in the air.

"_I see . . . We need to wait and rest up. We should camp here for the night._"

"Why not now?" Kiyoko demanded.

"It's been a long day, Kiki," Issun sighed. "We all need some rest, especially you, after all you've been through!"

"Nonsense! I'm fine! I could take on a . . . lot more . . . de—oh, I feel dizzy." She swayed, fatigue catching up to her. Before she could fall, Waka caught her. She smiled sheepishly. "I-I guess I could use a little rest."

o~*~o

Kiyoko stared lazily at the campfire, her violet eyes thoughtful. "Hmm . . . What if . . . ?" she muttered to herself.

"_What are you thinking about, Kiyoko?_" I asked her, curious.

"Huh? Oh, I was just wondering about the Lucky Mallet."

"_The Lucky Mallet . . . ? What about it?_"

"Well, I was wondering that if it can make things small, can it make things big, as well . . ." I saw where this was going. She wanted to see if the mallet could possibly make the bug-sized Issun human-sized.

"_It's worth a shot._" By now, the Poncle in question was beginning to get suspicious about our whispered conversation. Before he could say anything, I summoned the Lucky Mallet and Kiyoko grabbed it, bringing the mallet down on him. We held our breath, waiting to see if it worked.

To all of our surprise, it did, in fact, work. We were left at a loss for words. I looked up at Issun, now the size of any average human. Able to see Issun's face again, Kiyoko blushed, though she tried to hide it.

He looked her right in the eyes, smiling, and said, "Hey, Kiki. It's nice to see eye-to-eye with you again." Kiyoko couldn't find the words to say, completely flustered. She turned away, breaking eye contact.

"Y-Yeah," she stammered. "It _is _nice." Then she yawned loudly. "It's getting late. I think I'll turn in for the night." And she did just that, laying herself down on the ground and going to sleep.

Later that night, when he thought everyone was asleep, Issun got up and whipped out his paper and brush. Little did he know that I was not yet asleep. He separated the brush from the hilt of his sword, Denkomaru, dipped his brush in ink, and began to paint.

My curiosity peaked, and I sneaked behind him, hoping to catch a peek over his shoulder. Luckily, he was too absorbed in his work to notice my presence, allowing me to take a good look.

It was a painting of Kiyoko, and a very good one at that. Next to it was one of those "love umbrellas"* with her name and his written under it. It all made sense then. He didn't want anyone to know what he was doing because it made his feelings obvious, laid out on paper for all to see.

"_Issun, you little sneak!_" I said, causing him to jump nearly ten feet.

"Ahh! I didn't do it!" he cried out in surprise. Then, after taking a moment to recover, said, "Oh, it's just you, Ammy. You almost gave me a heart attack there, furball!"

I smirked at him. "_The game is up, Issun. Admit it—you have feelings for Kiyoko, don't you?_"

"What? O-Of course not! We're—We're just friends, th-that's all!" That only confirmed my suspicions further. He was stammering, and his face had turned red.

"_Uh-huh. I saw that painting of yours. I repeat, the game is over. Just admit it._"

"Wh-what painting?" he made a rather pathetic attempt to hide it. "There ain't no painting here!"

I sighed, exasperated. "_I just said that I already saw it. Admit it already!_"

"I-I don't know what you're talkin' about!" _So childish_, I thought. He was practically pouting, for crying out loud.

"_Issun_." I made my tone firm and persuasive. "_No one else is even listening—they're all asleep. This can be between you and me. I just want you to admit it out loud so that you can admit it to _yourself."

He was silent for a while, thinking about what I said. Then, with a sigh, mumbled, "Fine; I admit it. I have feelings for Kiki."

I couldn't help myself; I just had to tease him some more. "_What was that? I didn't quite hear you._"

He gave me a glare before saying, louder this time, "I have feelings for Kiki! There! Ya happy now?"

I chuckled. "_Ecstatic._"

"You're somethin' else, furball," he grumbled as he put up his materials and laid down to go to sleep.

"_Nighty-night, lovebug._"

"Shut up!" Finally satisfied, I laid my head down and went to sleep.

o~*~o

**Kiyoko**

_I stare at the shadow before me. This is no ordinary shadow, but a living, breathing one. Looking into its blood-red eyes, an unfamiliar emotion rises up in me—fear. Its crimson eyes burn red-hot, looking right through me, burning me from the inside out._

_"You, my dear, shall be the first," its terrible voice hisses._

_"The first . . . ? What do you mean by that?" I ask, my voice trembling._

_I receive another scorching glare from the shadow creature. It grins evilly, revealing pitch-black fangs. "The first sacrifice!"_

o~*~o

I woke with a start, barely refraining myself from screaming aloud. There was no need to alert the others, as these nightmares had become a normal occurrence to me. But the more and more I thought about it, the stranger it all seemed. First of all, I always had the same dream, as if it was some kind of sign, and the sense of foreboding that accompanied it was hard to ignore.

And even stranger, those feelings only seemed to have intensified ever since we got here. I had a bad feeling about that cave, but I was stupid enough to ignore it. I had made my choice; I was going into that cave, no matter what! Because it was for the sake of my friends . . . and I would never let them down . . .

o~*~o

**Amaterasu**

_Today's the day, _I thought as I got up that morning. _Today we shall find out what awaits us in that cave._ With everyone all rested up, we can finally enter the cave, prepared for whatever's inside.

Inside, the cave was as dark as midnight, lit only by the gentle white light of my coat and Issun's soft green glow. The evil aura, stronger than I could have imagined, bore down on us. I turned around to find myself staring into two menacing red eyes. Startled, I jumped back a few steps. It was hard to see in the darkness, but I could see what appeared to be the silhouette of a dragon. _So this is our enemy._

"Hello, wolf," the shadow spoke. "I am Kagetatsu, the Shadow Dragon. Prepare to face your doom!"

"_Oh, yeah?_" I slid into a crouch, poised to attack. I bared my fangs, a vicious snarl escaping my throat. My muscles tensed, ready to pounce, and—_what was that?_

I heard something. A gasp. I turned towards the source of the noise.

It had been Kiyoko, frightened by the sight of the creature. She stood shock still, pale as a ghost, as she gazed upon the shadow.

"_What's wrong, Kiyoko?_" I asked, now focused on her. "_You're shaking like a leaf._"

"I . . . That's . . . It's . . ." She was too afraid to even speak.

"Out with it, Kiki!" Issun snapped, though I suspected he was just as concerned as I was.

"That's . . . That's—" She paused, taking in a shaky breath. "That . . . _thing_ . . . That's . . . the monster . . . from my nightmare." I recalled the time when she told me about that. Then another thought hit me.

"_Wait . . . If that's the 'monster' from your dreams, then that means . . ._"

She nodded solemnly. "Yes. That means that I was right all along. Something's going to happen to me, and it's going to happen right here."

"_Kiyoko . . ._" Sorrow filled my heart at the thought of losing her, even when I hadn't known her that long. But I guess it'd be hard _not_ to like her, she has such a charming personality.

"How sweet," Kagetatsu growled mockingly, crimson eyes narrowing. "But I, for one, am itching for a fight."

Right. I had somehow completely forgotten about our situation here. Instantly, I fell back into fighting position. Everyone else followed suit, all except for Kiyoko.

She still couldn't move, paralyzed by fear. I started to talk to her, give her some words of encouragement, but Issun stepped in and did it for me, giving her his own version of a pep talk.

"C'mon, Kiki! Ya can't wimp out now! Now's not the time to hide or run away! Now's the time to _fight._" He locked gazes with Kiyoko, his voice becoming softer. "Now, will you fight with me?"

The fear in her eyes faded, replaced by determination. Her smile had already returned when she said, "Yeah. Let's go!"

Issun smiled back. "There's that spirit I like to see!"

Kiyoko turned to face the waiting shadow dragon. "I think we've kept you waiting long enough. Let's rumble!"

And that was the signal to start the fight. I made the first move, lunging at Kagetatsu to attack with Solar Flare. But when I did, I simply passed through him as if he weren't even there. I recovered, landing square on my paws. _What is this? It's like he's intangible! _I growled in frustration.

"What's the matter, mutt?" he said, laughing at my anger. "Your attacks are useless against me!" I disregarded his words, trying to formulate another strategy. But before I could, Kiyoko charged recklessly at the beast, knowing her attacks wouldn't work.

Like I did, she passed through him. He retaliated by lashing at her with his thick tail. The force of the impact was enough to send her crashing into the wall. I heard her cry out in pain, but still she got up again. The shadow dragon then came at me, slashing at me with his sharp claws. I felt a sharp sting in my side as one of the claws grazed me. I snarled at him, louder this time, more aggravated at him than before. _He can hurt us when we can't even touch him!_ I glared at the shadow. _We _will_ defeat you! We _will_ find a way! _I shouted at him in my mind.

The next person his attacks were aimed at was Issun. Kiyoko, realizing this, screamed, "No!" She threw herself in front of him, willing to risk her life to protect him.

"A-Are you crazy, Kiki?" Issun demanded. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

Still, she smiled. "I know. But if it's to save your life . . . I'd be glad to do it any day."

She took the full brunt of the attack meant for Issun, letting the black claw pierce straight through her.

* * *

*love umbrellas: the Japanese equivalent of writing Boy+Girl in a heart. You know, that thing you often draw when you have a crush on someone?


	11. Life and Death

_**Chapter 10: Life and Death**_

"Kiyoko!"

Issun's cry resounded in the hollow cave. The first time I've ever heard him say her real name. Unable to do anything, unable to help her, he stood motionless, frozen with shock.

"Insolent girl!" Kagetatsu hissed. With one swift motion, he flung her body clear across the cave. She hit the wall with a horrible crunching sound before landing. She went limp, ceasing to move.

I glared at the shadow dragon, fury overtaking me. Now it was more than the matter of eliminating evil; now it was a matter of vengeance.

I let loose with a long howl—a call to battle. "_For_ _Kiyoko!_" I had said. Now the real battle begins.

Our attacks became fiercer and faster, but it was still no good. The Shadow Dragon was truly just that—a pure shadow, completely untouchable and virtually undefeatable.

The breath was suddenly knocked out of me as his tail lashed out and hit me in my side, sending me flying into the wall. I couldn't move for several moments afterward, stunned from the blow.

Issun made his attack only to be thwarted once more by the shadow's intangibility. Kagetatsu slammed his paw down on him, nearly crushing him. Waka came in, attacking the dragon with his two swords, distracting the beast. Kagetatsu's attention diverted, Issun was able to escape.

Waka chuckled, a smug smile on his face. "You're welcome."

"I didn't need your help," Issun sniped. "I could've gotten out of that myself!"

"_Sure _you could have."

"_Is this _really_ the time to be fighting each other?_" I barked, interrupting them. I sighed, exasperated. It was like dealing with two children!

After that, I cleared my head and took the time to re-assess the situation. Only then did I realize that this was a no-win situation. Our attacks were utterly useless, and Kiyoko needed to be tended to as soon as possible.

"_Guys! We have to get out of here!_" I told the others.

"What? Why?" Issun asked, oblivious as ever.

"_Kiyoko needs help. And we can't even touch Kagetatsu anyway!_"

He seemed to catch on. "Okay. You distract that shadow guy; I got Kiki."

"_No, I got her." _Before he could open his mouth to protest, I quickly added, "_I'm faster—it just makes sense._"

"But—" I gave him a silencing glare. "All right, fine. Just . . . make sure she stays safe."

I smiled at him, at the same time putting Kiyoko on my back. "_Don't worry. She's safe in my hands—er, paws._"

He relaxed a little. "'Kay. See ya back at the village!"

"Yeah." And with that, I hastily made my escape.

Kagetatsu's enraged roar could be heard all across Nippon. "Run all you want, wolf!" he bellowed. "But you can't escape from the shadows!"

o~*~o

My paws barely touched the ground as I flew over the earth, pushing myself even faster, racing against time to save Kiyoko's life. Kiyoko, still half-conscious, managed to keep a decent grip around my neck, preventing her from falling off.

I made a beeline for the nearby Mermaid Spring. I tossed in a Mermaid Coin and leapt in all within the same heartbeat; I couldn't afford to waste any time.

I shot through Shinshu Field like an arrow, rushing down the path to Kamiki Village. As soon as I arrived, all the villagers crowded around me, surrounding me with their commotion. The first voice I heard was Nushi—of course he would be concerned about his little sister.

"What . . . What happened to her?" he asked. I stood there without saying a word; it wasn't like I would be able to answer him, even if I wanted to—he can't hear me. The clamoring of the villagers broke through the silence.

"By the gods! What happened?"

"What's wrong with her?"

"Someone get her some help!"

"Did _you_ do this to her, mutt?" I shook my head no. There was no way that I would ever be responsible for such a thing.

I ran over to Kushi, whom had come out to investigate. She gasped when she saw Kiyoko's condition.

"My word!" was all she could say.

"_Please, you have to help her_," I pleaded. I knew she couldn't hear me, but my eyes conveyed my message clearly. She nodded.

"Bring her into the house for me, would you, Snowy?" I couldn't believe she still called me that. She really hasn't changed a bit.

At that moment, Issun and Waka came running into the village. Well, Issun ran—Waka did that weird magically-appearing thing.

"What'd I miss?" Issun asked breathlessly.

"_How did you get here so fast? The Mermaid Spring?_" I asked stupidly, knowing the answer already.

"No, I ran all the way here. Of course I used the Mermaid Spring! The prophet pulled that dumb magic trick of his."

"I'm right here, you know," Waka interjected.

"Yeah, I know, and I don't care."

"_Boys!_" I cut in. "_Seriously? Can't you two pay attention for more than a minute _without_ starting an argument?_" I sighed; there was no point in telling them anything. "_As I was saying, Kushi is now treating Kiyoko's wounds. I think she'll be fine._"

Issun then laughed that perverted laugh of his, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. I was curious for a moment, and then I figured out the reason. In order for her wounds to be treated, Kiyoko's top would have to be removed. Even as I was thinking this through, Issun was already creeping towards Kushi's house. I grabbed him by the ridiculous cape he liked to wear, stopping him in his tracks.

_"Issun, no!_" I scolded him.

"I just wanted to—"

"Girls _only_."

"You're no fun," he griped, again pouting like a child.

I stepped into the house, giving Issun one final warning glare before doing so. I looked at Kushi with curious eyes. "_How is she?_"

"She's doing fine. She's resting right now."

I walked to the back room where Kiyoko was. She was sleeping peacefully, with no signs of her being in pain. But . . . it was still disconcerting to see her like this. She just looked so . . . so frail and weak; I wished I could help her—but I couldn't. Even though I was a goddess—a _goddess!_—that was one of the things that was out of my power.

"Hey, Ammy!" The unexpected voice from behind made me jump. The voice—undoubtedly Issun's—now laughed. "Oops, did I scare ya, furball?" I shushed him. "What?"

"_You're going to wake Kiyoko if you don't keep that big mouth of yours shut!_" I made a point of keeping my own voice low.

"Right. Sorry. So, how is Kiki?"

"_She seems to be okay for the moment._"

"That's good." I thought I detected a hint of disappointment in his tone. Oh, that's right. He must have snuck in here hoping to catch a peek of Kiyoko's body, the little perv! But he came too late; she was already back in her clothes. He looked over at her sleeping form somewhat wistfully. I knew what he wanted to do, and I wasn't about to let that happen.

"_No, Issun!_" I growled. "_I think it's about time for you to leave. Now._"

"But I—"

"Now," I repeated, my eyes narrowing. He stayed where he was. "_Or would you rather I make you leave?_" Still he stayed put. "_All right, you asked for it!_" I dragged him out by the end of his cape, nearly strangling him in the process. "_And stay out!_" I then made a mental note to check on Kiyoko tomorrow, _alone._

o~*~o

The next day, Kiyoko was recovering, in terms of both her injuries and her personality. At the moment, Kushi was trying to change the bandages on Kiyoko's wounds, but Kiyoko was being difficult. She refused to lend Kushi her arm, which had been broken in the fight.

"Kiyoko," Kushi sighed, "could you _please_ cooperate for a little bit?"

"_Do what your mother says_," I chimed in. "_She's trying to help you here._"

Reluctantly, Kiyoko stretched out her arm.

"Okay, honey, this won't hurt a bit . . ." She gingerly took Kiyoko's arm, carefully extending it to its full length. Kiyoko winced.

"Ow ow ow!" she complained. "That kind of hurt!"

"Sorry, sweetie. Just hang on a little longer, and it'll all be over." She finished re-wrapping the arm. "There you go. All better!"

"Thanks, Mom. Alright, I'm off!" She tried to get up; Kushi forced her back down. "Ack!"

"I'm sorry, but you're not going anywhere like that!"

Kiyoko groaned. "I'm fine, Mom!"

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am!"

Kushi sighed. "You're impossible!" She sighed again and muttered to herself, "Just like her father . . ."

"_Well_," I said, "_I might know someone whom she'll actually listen to . . ._"

o~*~o

**Issun**

Ammy came running up to me. "_Issun! I need your help over at Kushi's house!_"

I glared at her. "Oh, I though you didn't want me over there." I hadn't forgotten about yesterday.

She scoffed. "_You're _still_ whining over that?_"

"I ain't whining!"

"_Really? You could have fooled me!_"

I didn't feel like starting a fight with Ammy, so I gave in. "What is it?"

"_It's Kiyoko—she won't listen to any of us. We need someone to tell her to behave—someone she _will_ listen to_."

"And you think I'm that someone?"

"_If she won't listen to _you_, she won't listen to _anybody_._"

". . . Alright, let's go."

Back at Kushi's place, I saw that what Ammy said was true—Kiki was giving them all kinds of trouble. Kushi and Ammy were trying to restrain her as she tried to get up when she shouldn't. Looks like it was up to me to put a stop to this.

"Kiki! You better cut this out!"

She paused to look at me. "Issun?" Then she registered my words. "Why should I?"

"Ya really shouldn't be up when you're like this, Kiki!"

She started whining, a rare frown on her face. "But Issun, I'm gonna go stir-crazy, being cooped up like this!"

"Look, I'm sorry, but not today; you need to get some more rest."

"But—"

"No buts! You're staying in bed! It's for your own good!"

"Aww!" She didn't complain anymore. She stopped fidgeting, actually doing what _I_ told her to. It was like _I _was her mother and not Kushi. That's just weird.

"Don't worry, ya won't be stuck in here forever!"

"I hope not!"

I laughed. "I'll see ya later, Kiki!"

She waved bye. "Later!"

o~*~o

True to her nature, Kiki healed fast, and was back on her feet in a few days. And boy, was she ever happy! I had to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't get into more trouble.

She didn't really do much, though; mostly she just rested in her favorite spot in the branches of the sacred tree. But I didn't care—I was just glad that she was okay. So I let her do her own thing. It wasn't like she was up to anything much.

That night, I went to see her, but she was nowhere to be found. She must have climbed up to one of the higher branches; she liked to do that. Though I wondered how she could climb with only one good arm . . . Well, she's Kiki, and she's got her ways. It was still nice to sit there and look at the stars.

All of a sudden, I heard a snap followed by a scream. Next thing I knew, I found a startled Kiki in my lap.

"Nice of ya to drop in," I said. She giggled.

"Yeah." We sat there for a while, then she started to talk again. "Issun . . . if you had a . . . girlfriend, would you . . . stop chasing after other ladies?"

This caught me off guard. "W-What was that, Kiki?" I asked, not sure of what I heard.

Blushing, she repeated the question.

"Uh . . . w-well, I-I, um . . ." I had to stop and think about what to say. In my mind, I was thinking, _No way! Never gonna happen!_ But I wanted to make her happy, so I said, "Of course not. I'm not that kind of guy. Besides, all those ladies ain't got nothin' on ya!" I knew she was referring to herself when she said "girlfriend". I ain't that dense!

She smiled that wonderful smile of hers. "Aw, you're so sweet!" Overjoyed, she threw her arms around me.

My face suddenly got hot. I turned away, hoping she didn't notice.

We were sitting in akward silence when Kiki said something else. "Look," she said, pointing at the sky. "It's the Northern Star. Make a wish!"

I followed her gaze to spot a star that shone brighter than all the others—the Northern Star. Kiki closed her eyes to make a wish and I did, too. I wished—feeling like a total sap—that Kiki would stay safe, that nothing would ever happen to her. At least no one but me would ever know.

When I opened my eyes, I saw that Kiki still had hers closed. Then I heard light snoring. The silly girl had fallen asleep, leaving me to wonder what her wish might have been.

o~*~o

**Amaterasu**

Kiyoko's condition took a heartbreaking turn for the worse. Infection set in, and she became ill, bedridden with a fever. I came in to check on her, and what I saw was not good. Her skin, covered with a sheen of sweat, was pale as my fur was white. Her breathing was ragged, riddled with fits of coughing. She looked like she might die any minute. Concerned for our friend, Waka, Issun and I stayed by her side.

She slept almost the entire time, too weak to do anything else. The one time she spoke, she reached out with her good hand, grasping at nothing. "Issun . . ." she had said, her voice barely a whisper.

That nearly brought the poor guy to tears. He took her outstretched hand, holding it tightly. "I'm here, Kiki," he said, his voice breaking. With what little strength she had, she gave him the smallest of smiles. She then fell back asleep.

At last, after what felt like forever, Kiyoko's fever broke. Upon waking, she had a request for us—to take her to the Guardian tree Konohana.

"Of course—" Issun started, but I cut him off.

"_No! You know very well what will happen!_"

"I'm sure it won't happen again!"

"_How can you be so sure?_"

He hesitated. "I . . . I just know, okay?"

"Alright. I guess it's okay." There was no point in arguing, so I agreed.

Issun insisted on carrying her himself to the sacred tree while I followed him. When we got there, I gazed at the sunset. The sun had dyed the sky a bright red color. Blood red, in fact. Beautiful, but it meant nothing good. It was a bad omen symbolizing death. I hoped that no such thing would happen. But no amount of hope could change anything . . .

o~*~o

**? ? ?**

"_Don't think you can escape me, my dear. You will be mine!"_

o~*~o

**Amaterasu**

I came to see how Kiyoko was in the morning. She appeared to be asleep, but something was off. She was too still, too quiet. Coming closer, I then made a tragic discovery.

She wasn't breathing.

I strained my ears, listening for a pulse or any other sign of life, and . . . nothing.

Kiyoko was dead.


	12. Revelation

Hey everyone! Here is the long-awaited chapter you've all been waiting for! . . . -crickets chirp- Oh, c'mon! You know you've been waiting for this. Well, whatev -.- Oh, and tell me if I made Issun seem to OOC toward the end there, that part was a bit tricky. Don't forget to R&R!  
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Chapter 11: Revelation

I couldn't believe it. Sweet, quirky yet loveable Kiyoko was gone. Even though I didn't know her long, it was still very sad to see that such a nice girl has died, and so young. She had brought joy into many people's lives, including my own. But, doing as she once did, I looked to the bright side of this. At least she passed peacefully in her sleep—she did not suffer any.

Still, it was too much for me. I was whimpering softly, grief and sorrow building up inside of me until I just couldn't contain it anymore. I did the only thing I knew how to do at a time like this.

I howled. I poured all my emotion into that howl, filling it with sadness and pain. It rang out in the silent morning like a death toll.

Sakuya emerged from her tree, looking at me with wide, curious, cherry-blossom pink eyes. "Why, Amaterasu, whatever is the ma—my goodness!" She gasped, noticing the situation. "How . . . How did this . . .?" She trailed off, unable to find words.

I simply shook my head. I, too, was at a loss for words. Soon, some of the villagers came up. My howl had acted as a beacon for them, summoning them here. One of the first to respond to the call was none other than Issun. He came running up, knowing that something was wrong. He stopped short when he saw Kiyoko.

"I-It can't be! S-She—She isn't . . . isn't. . ." He couldn't finish the sentence.

Again, I shook my head, still trying to find words. Issun was silent for a moment. Then he snapped. He turned to Sakuya, an inexplicable rage in his eyes.

"You! It's your fault!" he shouted, his voice blade-sharp. "Why didn't you protect her? Isn't that your job? To protect people?"

Sakuya flinched. She hadn't expected such an outburst.

I walked up to him. I wasn't going to let him bully her like this. "_Issun_," I started cautiously, able to speak again, "_calm down. There is no reason for you to_—" He threw me such a fierce glare that I flinched myself.

"And you! You're a freakin' goddess! Couldn't you have done anything for her?"

"_I-I'm sorry, but I can't_—" Another glare from Issun silenced me.

"I don't want to hear it!"

A low whine sounded in my throat. Never before had he turned on me, not like that. He continued his tirade; Waka was the next victim.

"And you, the half-baked prophet." Issun then uttered some words I would rather not repeat. "You can see the future, or so you say! Why didn't ya see this comin', huh?"

Waka had no answer. It was likely he had no words, as he was just as upset as the rest of us were. _This is getting out of hand_, I thought. _Someone needs to stop this._

I stepped up to the role once I found that I could speak again. I said to Issun, "_Stop it! Don't you see you're just making everyone more upset? And . . . you keep blaming everyone else. Don't you think that this may be partially _your_ fault?_"

That did it. He fell silent, the fight in him now gone. He left without so much as saying another word. I started to follow him; Waka stopped me.

"Leave him be, _ma chérie_. I think he needs some time alone."

I sighed. Waka was right—Issun must have been hurting more than anyone else. This was a hard time for us all . . .

o~*~o

**Nushi**

I did hear the howl that had sounded in the village, but I chose to ignore it. I knew it had to do with the white wolf lurking in the village, and I didn't care to have anything to do with it. Something about that wolf unsettled me—the way it moved purposefully through the village, how it's blazing amber eyes seemed way too focused and intelligent for any average wolf.

But it wasn't long before I heard word around the village that Kiyoko had died. At first, I denied it, finding it impossible to believe. Then I started noticing some things that made it seem somewhat true.

First of all, Mom and Dad were pretty depressed about something. In fact, the entire village seemed to be bummed out. Also, I hadn't seen my little sis for some time now, not since she returned to the village a while back. I began to doubt myself, and started to think it may be true.

Eventually, I let my curiosity get the best of me—I had to know for sure if it was true or not—and I walked up to the Guardian Tree from which the howl first originated. I saw Kiyoko, who appeared to be asleep. That's when I realized that she wasn't sleeping. She was dead.

I ran up to her, still trying to deny it. I kneeled before her lifeless body. I gently brushed the hair out of her face, like I used to sometimes when she was younger. That simple gesture brought back a wave of memories of my little sister, back when we were little, when times were simpler. That's when the reality of it all hit me hard. Kiyoko, my little sister, was gone. And she wasn't coming back.

I was then glad that nobody was around, so no one would see me cry for my sister, now lost forever . . .

o~*~o

**Issun**

I paced around the small room, trying to take in all that's happened. I had went over to Nushi's place—formerly Susano's house, but he moved in with Kushi. I hid in the underground room there—I didn't want anyone to see me like this. And . . . I just needed some time to myself to think things through. There were a million questions in my head without answers, but there was one that I kept asking myself the most above all others: Why?

Why did Kiki die so suddenly? It just didn't seem right to me. Something, somewhere must have went wrong. But what?

_Don't you think that this may be your fault?_

Ammy's words echoed in my head, and then everything became clear. It was me. It's _my _fault that Kiki's dead.

Frustrated with myself, I puched the wall. "Dammit! How could I be so stupid?" I said to no one. I kept on punching the wall, taking all my anger out on it.

When I couldn't punch anymore, completely out of steam, I slumped to the floor, defeated. No longer angry, overwhelming sadness now took over. My thoughts turned to Kiki, as they often did.

I knew her since the day she was born. And now, after fifteen years with her . . . it seemed like nowhere near enough time now. I recalled that moment, that time when she'd been shrunk down to my size, that instant when our eyes met—_really _met—for the first time. I don't know, but it was like something inside me shifted, and I realized I had feelings for her.

I knew she'd changed me somehow. For example, somewhere along the way, purple became my favorite color. But it wasn't just that, it was something more. I found myself staring at her longer than I should, and I started noticing things, like how her laugh was music to my ears, and how her smile always brightened my day. But now . . . now she's dead. Never again would I ever hear that musical laugh, see that beautiful smile, or see those sparkling violet eyes.

The tears I'd been trying to hold back now broke free from me. _Why?_ There was that question again. _Why does it hurt so much?_ I asked myself. That was the one question I did have the answer for.

_Because I loved her._

Yes. I loved her, and I never even got the chance to tell her. "Kiki . . ." I sobbed. All I wanted was to see her just one more time . . .

_Don't cry, Issun._

I looked up. What was that?

_I don't like seeing you cry._

It was a voice. But who did it belong to? I glaced around the room, trying to find the source. "Wh-Who's there?"

A giggle. _It's me, you silly!_

Wait a sec. I'd know that laugh anywhere. I turned around to see . . . _Kiki?_ Impossibly enough, there she was, standing—make that floating—right in front of me. I knew there was no way that this was real, so I started racking my brain for other possibilities. A dream? Nah; I wasn't asleep, I was sure. Am I going crazy? Am I seeing things now? Possibly.

_Yoohoo, Earth to Issun!_

"Huh?"

_I know for a fact that you're not the spacey type. Now tell me, what's wrong?_

"What's wrong? Well, you're . . . I mean, that . . . I just—"

_Spit it out, Issun!_

"Um, a-are you . . . real?"

Another giggle. _Well, of course! I'm standing here, aren't I?_

"B-But you're supposed to be—"

_Dead? Not exactly._

"What do you mean by that?"

_That's what I need your help for. _She glanced nervously over her shoulder, as if being followed by someone . . . or something. _I don't have much time, so listen carefully._

I nodded. "I'm listening."

_You have to find me, Issun._

"What's that supposed to mean? You're right here!"

_Not really, no. You'll figure it out soon enough. _Another glance over the shoulder. _I have to go._

"Wait! Kiki, where're you going? Where should I look?"

_Look within . . . the . . . shadows . . . _After that, she just disappeared. I wasn't sure what just happened, but I had the feeling that I was in for another adventure . . .

o~*~o

**Waka**

I rested on one of the branches of the sacred tree Konohana—a place that used to be a favorite of Kiyoko's. I sighed. She never deserved a fate such as death, not when she was so young. She was a kind soul, and she never did any wrong—she was, in fact, destined for great things, this I could tell. But then something like this happens . . . and I couldn't even see it coming. As a prophet, I have the ability to see into the future, but what happened to Kiyoko I never predicted.

I thought about what Issun said to me. He had asked me why I could not predict Kiyoko's passing. I did not answer because I had no answer. I, myself, could not tell why because I did not know. And—I hate to admit this—but I fear Issun may be right. Perhaps it was _my _fault that Kiyoko died. Had I been able to forsee it, I might have been able to prevent it. But I did not.

_Kiyoko . . . please forgive me . . ._

I watched the setting sun, hoping my silent prayer would reach her, wherever she may be . . . But wait a minute—something did not feel quite right.

I had the strangest feeling that not everything may not be as it seems. Kiyoko was dead . . . or was she . . . ?

My eyes scanned the horizon as I searched the future and past, seeking answers. I did this for countless hours, meticulously searching through time for any clues. After all that, I came up with nothing—but then I decided to look back to one particular night . . .

o~*~o

_Kiyoko sleeps soundly under the stars by the Guardian Tree. The tree sprite, Sakuya, determines that Kiyoko would be fine on her own as there is no immediate threat, so she goes to rest inside her tree._

_As soon as she doe, the shadows start to behave strangely. The shadows of the tree branches dances on the ground in the pale moonlight, while the branches themselves do not move._

_Then the shadows converge into one and take the form of a dragon. The shadow dragon approaches Kiyoko, crimson eyes burning bright in the darkness. It bares its midnight-black fangs, its lips seeming to form a twisted grin. And then it . . . _

o~*~o

Yes! That was it! I found the answers I was looking for. Now to tell everyone before it was too late . . .

o~*~o

**Amaterasu**

Everything was set for Kiyoko's funeral. The pyre's been built, and everyone was present. With a heavy heart, I looked on as the ceremony began. stepped forward to read the eulogy. He cleared his throat, and with a rasping, yet soft voice, started to speak:

"Kiyoko was a wonderful young woman with an extraordinary passion for life. She was strong in mind, but gentle in heart. She would always accomplish what she set out to do and never gave up, while at the same time treating others kindly, no matter whom they may be.

"It is sad that she passed on when she had so much to look forward to. But she made the most of what little time she had here with us, living life to the fullest. A resilient girl, she was, taking whatever came her way with a smile.

"She was also a positive, upbeat young girl, and always looked to the bright side, seeing the silver lining of any situation. We should follow her example, and make the best of our own lives. Yes, she is now gone, but she will forever remain in our memories . . . and our hearts. May she rest in peace."

When he finished the speech, there was not a dry eye present. Most all of the villagers had some sort of connection with Kiyoko. Her death was a terrible loss for us all.

With the ceremony drawing to a close, prepared to light the funeral pyre. But just when he was about to do so . . .

Waka came charging in, and he looked quite agitated or excited about something. "_Attendez-vous, tout le monde!_" he cried in French. "Wait, everyone!" All eyes turned to him. "There's something I have to tell you. A revelation, of sorts."

"_Well, what is it?_" I demanded. I wasn't in the mood to be patient.

"Kiyoko . . . is _not_ dead!"


	13. Lost and Found

_**Chapter 12: Lost and Found**_

Waka's "revelation" drew a collective gasp from everyone, including myself. I sat there, gaping at him, not entirely sure of what I just heard. Then, recovering from the shock, I walked up to him, determined to find some answers.

"_What in the world are you talking about?_"

"As I said, Kiyoko is not dead," he replied coolly, so calm about everything that it irritated me to no end.

"_What does that even mean? She _is_ dead!_"

"No, she is not," he said, still annoyingly levelheaded and calm. Was that a _smile_ I saw on his face? It was! He was smiling that smug smile of his, so sure that he was right. But he wasn't even making any sense!

"_Forgive me for asking, but . . . have you lost your mind?_" What he was saying was so insane, there was no other conclusion I could come up with.

His smile disappeared. "I most certainly have not, Amaterasu. Why would you ask such a thing?"

"_Because what you're saying is completely crazy!_"

The smugness returned. "My apologies, _ma chérie_. Allow me to explain. You see, Kiyoko is gone, yet she is not, not in the entire sense of the word."

I let out a low growl. "_I'm not in the mood for your stupid mind games! Tell us already!_"

"Temper, temper," he said. "Patience is a virtue, you know."

"_Yeah, guess what? I don't care!_" I snarled, baring my fangs.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'll tell you. Just calm down."

"_I'm listening._"

"What I mean by 'not gone' is that Kiyoko's soul has not ascended yet. It still wanders the earth."

"_Her soul . . . ?_"

"Her life essence. Without it, she cannot live. By now, it should have passed on to the next world, but it has not. In other words, her soul is trapped here."

"_Where is it now?_"

He was silent for a moment, and then he said the one word that I _didn't _want to hear: "Kagetatsu."

"_Kagetatsu? The Shadow Dragon? You're telling me that he has Kiyoko's soul?_" He nodded, confirming my fears. I huffed out a breath, brows furrowed in confusion. So much has happened in the past few days that I could barely keep up with it all . . .

I then realized that Waka was thinking aloud, talking to no one besides himself.

"Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise," he mused. "If we were to return her soul to her body . . . she could come back to life."

"_Well . . . what are you waiting for?_" I said softly. "_Let's go rescue her. Issun!_" I called out to the Poncle, whom had been uncharacteristically quiet the entire time. "_You coming with?_"

"Sure, why not," he mumbled. He just hasn't been himself since Kiyoko supposedly "died". Didn't he hear a word of what Waka said a few minutes ago? Well, I figured he'd cheer up after a little while—perhaps he needed some time to take it all in. So anyways, we all set out on a quest to save Kiyoko's soul . . .

o~*~o

**Issun**

What can I say? _She _pushed me nearly to my breaking point. I didn't know what to do with her gone, and I barely had a hold on my sanity. I never knew that her death would affect me this badly, but then again, I never expected it this soon . . .

People say that the pain, the heartache of losing someone close to you goes away with time—but for me, it's only gotten worse, if anything else.

_She _was the only thing I could think of, and what could have been. At times, I swear I could almost hear her voice and feel her touch again. There were even times when I thought I _saw _her. And, like the fool I'd become, I talked to these hallucinations. I didn't even care if I was losing my mind, because it was better than a life without her.

In that kind of state, I didn't bother to listen much to anyone anymore. So when the prophet came in, I didn't hear a single word he said—heck, I'd tune _him _out under normal circumstances, so that didn't help much. All I knew was that whatever he said raised a commotion. Next thing I knew, Ammy called my name and dragged me off to who knows where.

I was trudging along behind Ammy and the prophet, when . . .

_Hey, Issun!_

Yep, you guessed it. It was Kiki—or should I say, an illusion of her. Not that I wasn't glad to see her or anything, but I couldn't be caught talking to her. I'd look like a crazy person! Even if I _was _crazy, I didn't want to go broadcasting it to the world.

"Now's not a good time!" I hissed, attempting to keep my voice quiet so the others wouldn't hear. But of course, Ammy—the one with ears that could hear a feather drop from a mile away—_did _hear me. She turned to look at me curiously, if not a bit suspiciously.

"_Who are you talking to?_" she asked.

"Um, I, uh . . ." Crap. I hadn't been exactly counting on this happening. "Uh . . . nobody. Just . . . talking to myself?" I suggested, hoping she didn't notice the part at the end that was more question than statement.

She gave me another curious glance. It looked as if she wanted to say something else, but instead settled with, "_I'm not even going to ask._"

Then Kiki just had to make herself known once more. _Hello! What am I, chopped liver?_ she said loudly. I waved her off, getting somewhat annoyed with her.

_Wha . . . ? Issun! Don't you dare ignore me! _Did I mention that she _hates_ being ignored? I tried to wave her off again, but she wasn't having any of that. _No! Don't even try that! _she snapped. _I will NOT be ignored!_

I sighed. Since when did Kiki get so irritating?

Ammy heard me sigh, and she turned around to look at me again, this time with concern in her eyes. "_Issun . . . Are you sure you're okay?_"

"Yeah, sure. I . . . I'm fine."

"_Well, you don't seem fine to me. Wait a second . . . You really didn't hear anything of what Waka said earlier, did you?_"

"Not a word. Why?"

"_So you didn't. I guess I'm going to have to explain things to you. You see . . ._" Her words were soon drowned out by one certain person who can't stand being ignored.

_Issun? Issun! Issun, Issun, Issun, Issun, Issun, Issun, Issun, Issun . . . _She kept going on like that endlessly, desperate for attention.

I appeased her with a quick glance, all the while silently willing her to go away. And to my surprise, she did, vanishing into thin air. With her gone, I came back to oh-so-depressing reality.

"_. . . and that's all I know,_" Ammy was saying.

"Huh?" I had missed everything she was trying to tell me in the first place. "Uh . . . Could . . . could you repeat all that? I didn't exactly . . . get it."

She rolled her eyes, sighing. "_Oh, come on. I thought the concept was quite simple, or at least simple enough for you. Might as well say it again, but make sure you 'get it' this time around. Kiyoko is not dead—her soul has left her body, but is still trapped here. Kagetatsu, the Shadow Dragon, currently holds it captive. We are going to retrieve it. Do you 'get it' now?_"

Whoa. I had no idea. I stared speechlessly at her, trying to take in what she just said. Kiki's _not dead_. My heart leapt as it finally hit me. We're going to _bring her back_. For the first time since _that _day, I laughed. I laughed out loud, overjoyed about the news, about the fact that she's not dead.

"Oh . . . wow. I . . . I don't know what to say."

"_Then don't say anything. Let's go—the cave's right over there._" Ammy nodded in the direction of the cave where Kagetatsu made his lair.

"Yeah." I was ready to do anything if it meant bringing Kiki back . . .

o~*~o

**Amaterasu**

Even as we made our way towards the cave, I still had no strategy for taking on Kagetatsu. He was still untouchable, and our attacks were still useless. Unless . . . Of course! Why didn't I think of it before?

Kagetatsu is pure shadow, and a shadow's only weakness is none other than light. Now to figure out how to go about producing light in a pitch-black cave . . .

My Sunrise technique—my first and foremost technique as the sun goddess—wouldn't work, as there would have to be a crack of some sort in the cave that revealed part of the sky, and there were none. Perhaps the fire-manipulating Inferno technique . . . No, that's no good, that technique requires a source of fire nearby. I was going through all 13 techniques, until it finally came to me.

I would use the Cherry Bomb technique.

Yes, that was perfect—the light given off by the explosion would more than suffice to weaken the Shadow Dragon. I gave two sharp barks to grab the others' attention. "_Guys, I have a plan._"

"Well? Don't keep us waiting, Ammy! Tell us!" Issun demanded, definitely more energetic than before.

"_All right, I am going to plant a bunch of Cherry Bombs around Kagetatsu. When they go off, the light from the explosion will most likely weaken him, and possibly make him vulnerable to our attacks—though I'm not completely sure. But that's when I want you to attack—when the bombs go off. Got that?_"

"Yeah, and I got another idea," Issun replied. "I could help you with the Cherry Bombs—more bombs, more light, am I right?"

"_Right . . . but how are you going to do that?_" As far as I knew, I was the only one able to fully master all the brush techniques.

"Don't ya remember? I've seen every one of those brush techniques of yours, and I've had twenty years to practice. I'm almost as good with 'em as you are now."

"_Point taken. But let's stop talking and start walking! I don't know about you, but I am just itching for a fight right about now._"

"Believe me, I'm right there with ya. Let's go!"

o~*~o

Just as we figured, Kagetatsu was waiting for us in the cave, most likely anticipating our arrival.

The dragon laughed. "Mua ha ha ha . . . I knew you'd come here for your friend. But it's futile to try and get her back, so don't even think about it."

"_Futile, you say?_" I smirked, confident with my plan. "_We'll see about that . . . Issun! Now! Do it now!_" I then started working on drawing as many Cherry Bombs as possible. Not long after, some smaller bombs materialized next to mine, these ones green—clearly the work of Issun. Kagetatsu was soon surrounded by a circle of Cherry Bombs, with no possible escape route.

Kagetatsu laughed again, unimpressed and unintimidated. "Do you really think that a few bombs can stop me? You must be out of your minds to think such a thing!"

I smirked again. He had absolutely no idea of what was coming. The fuses on the bombs were starting to burn out, and soon enough . . . BOOM! The first one went off, setting off a chain reaction of explosions, each flaring in a bright show of fireworks.

Kagetatsu recoiled, hissing in what sounded like pain. This was our chance! "_Now!_" I called to the others. "_Now's the time! ATTACK!_"

Issun was the first to respond, charging at Kagetatsu with his trusty sword Denkomaru in tow. When he swung his sword, the sword actually made contact, cutting into the dragon's scales. My plan had worked! Too bad I couldn't join in on the fight—it was my job to keep on drawing Cherry Bombs, providing a near constant source of light.

Then Waka made his move, a combination attack with his two swords. Kagetatsu was still flinching away from the frequent explosions all around him, paralyzed and open to attack. Waka's swords also connected, inflicting damage on Kagetatsu. All the dragon could do was screech in pain, unable to strike back.

Working together for once, Waka and Issun fought together, wounding Kagetatsu to the point where the dragon ceased to move. It was the perfect time to finish him off. But before I could raise my Celestial Brush, Issun stepped in.

"I got this, Ammy," he said.

"_No, you don't!_" I snapped at him. "_Stop it right now! You don't know what you're doing._"

"Yes, I _do _know what I'm doing. Just let me take care of it."

"_No, let me take care of it. I'm more experienced than you, so I should do it._"

"What does that even matter? All I gotta do is do a simple Power Slash and it's done. And don't try to argue; I won't listen to any of it!"

Oh, this was bad. Very bad, indeed. The Power Slash technique—the technique to be used to end Kagetatsu's life—needed to be placed very carefully and precisely, seeing as Kiyoko's soul was in there somewhere. One wrong move, and we could lose her forever. I prayed that Issun would land a lucky hit, one that would miss Kiyoko altogether. But . . . there was no such luck.

He executed the brush technique, aiming for dead-center. His Power Slash was surprisingly strong—though still not quite as strong as mine—cutting through Kagetatsu easily, finally putting an end to the Shadow Dragon once and for all. But it was all too powerful . . . as it split Kiyoko's soul into two.


	14. Redemption

_**Chapter 13: Redemption**_

"_What have you done?_" I cried. With Kiyoko's soul split in half, who knows what will happen?

"I . . . I-I don't . . ." Issun stuttered, most likely as shocked as I was.

We could only watch as the glowing orb that was Kiyoko's soul, now in two pieces, drifted towards the heavens above. _That's it,_ I thought. _It's over. We've lost her for good now._ What happened next, nobody could have predicted.

Kiyoko's soul halted its ascent, suspended in midair. Then, the two halves shot off in opposite directions. With no time to think, we chased after one of the soul-pieces, leaving the other one to find later.

Our hunt led us quite far; by this time, we had traveled halfway across Nippon _on foot._ It was then I realized the destination of the soul-piece. It was headed directly towards Kamiki Village.

o~*~o

After _the _longest run of my life, we finally reached the village. I'm serious, I have _never _run that far before, not in one go. I was panting, my stamina drained, though still keeping an eye on the soul-piece. It seemed to be heading for the Guardian Tree, _where Kiyoko was._

After resting briefly, we continued our pursuit, leading us—just as I thought—to the sacred tree. Once there, we witnessed a miracle.

We got there just in time to see the soul-piece returning to its rightful place within Kiyoko. And she came back to life.

She still maintained the appearance of sleep, but I could clearly hear the signs of life—the soft whisper of breath on her lips, and the faint, rhythmic sound of her heart beating.

I then tried to wake her up, nudging her gently with my paw. She didn't move. I nudged her again, harder this time. Still she wouldn't wake. I tried barking loudly in her ear. Nothing. I turned to face the others, who were looking at me expectantly.

"_It's . . . strange,_" I said, confused. "_I know for certain that she's alive, but she won't wake up._"

"That _is_ strange," Waka agreed. "Very strange, indeed. Hmm . . ." He paused for a moment. "It might be the fact that her soul is no longer whole, and that she needs both halves to fully recover."

"_You're so smart,_" I remarked, if not a bit admiringly.

Issun scoffed. "_I_ coulda told ya that, furball!"

Waka smirked. "No, you could not. You would not have figured it out, because frankly, you are not too smart."

"Why you—!" Issun was now glowing red, a sure sign that he was angry. "You callin' me stupid, pretty boy?"

"Oui."

"Grr! Stop with the French stuff already!"

"Pourquois? C'est t'enerve?"

"ARGH! I bet I could beat you in a fight!"

"I accept your challenge. Now, what time and where?"

"Right here, right now!"

"Fine with me."

"_Enough already!_" I snapped, barking to emphasize my point. "_We need to focus on what's important here. We should track down the other half of Kiyoko's soul._"

"Hold on, Ammy," Issun said. "Don't be so hasty. There's no big rush or anything. And it has been a while since we've been in the village. Why not stay a little?"

Between the lines, I read his true intentions. "_You want to stay here with Kiyoko in case she wakes up, don't you?_"

He sighed. "You can read me like an open book. But can't we stay for just a little while? I mean, the other soul whatever isn't going anywhere, at least I don't think so . . . All I want is a few days, okay?"

". . . Okay. But only for a few days. We don't want to waste too much time."

"Thanks."

I decided to give him three days, though I was almost positive that nothing would happen—it was likely that Kiyoko was in a comatose state and would not wake up. But lately, it seems that all my predictions have been very, _very_ wrong . . .

o~*~o

**Kiyoko**

_. . . Where am I. . .? Is this a dream? No, it feels too real. Am I. . . dead? Maybe._ These were the kind of thoughts that were going through my head. I didn't even know what had happened or how it turned out, only that I was now in two places at once. On one side, I was trapped in a world of darkness, shackled by invisible chains. The other, I was back in my own body, but I still couldn't move. It was like I couldn't do anything, that I was bound by those chains on both sides. But I _could _hear, and I listened to what went on around me.

Many people came and went. I could tell who was who by the sound of their voices. Snowflake came by a lot, as well as that pretty tree sprite, Sakuya. Even Waka dropped by every once in a while. Many people visited me and said many things, but I never did hear the one voice I truly longed to hear—Issun's. I did keep sensing his presence, though, and I tried to make mine known to no avail. I was paralyzed—I couldn't even open my eyes.

To make matters worse, I had to keep my guard up at all times, as the shadows often threatened to swallow me whole. Fear, once a stranger to me, now dominated my entire existence. There was also another emotion, one I couldn't identify. It was a feeling of nothingness, and of emptiness . . . and I felt so alone . . . so scared . . .

_Someone . . . anyone . . . please . . . help me . . . _

"Wake up!" A voice broke through my shroud of despair, through the darkness.

_But who is it?_

"C'mon, wake up, Kiki!" It was Issun! Oh, just hearing his voice made me feel better. If only he knew I was here . . . I tried desperately to do something, anything to make myself known. _I am here, _I wanted to say to him. _I just can't move . . . but I can hear you. Please, hear _me_!_

"Please . . . why won't you wake up . . .?"

Then I heard the sound of crying. Man, that's the one thing I hate most—having to hear him cry. . . for _me_. I then found a new resolve. With all my heart, I willed myself to move. All I managed to do was open my eyes less than a fraction of an inch—a difference I doubted anybody would notice.

_Issun . . . _

I imagined seeing his face again, and how happy he'd be to see me again. That's what I really looked forward to—making him happy again. Again, I tried to move. With newfound motivation, I found new strength. I broke free from the invisible bonds . . .

. . . and I opened my eyes.

Next, I tried saying something. After a little effort, I did so. "Hey, Issun," I said, smiling.

"K-Kiki?" He looked up, green eyes widening.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm back."

"I . . . I c-can't believe it. You . . . you're really . . ." He broke down again, this time in tears of joy.

I reached up, brushing away his tears. "Hey, there's no reason to cry. You know I don't like seeing you cry."

He then took a deep breath and composed himself. "Yeah, I know. And you're right. Heh, when did I become such a crybaby?"

"Oh, you're _not _a crybaby. You've been through a lot lately . . . mostly because of me. You have plenty of reason to be an emotional wreck."

"Speaking of which . . . what happened with you? I mean, what was it like for you, wherever you were?"

I'd almost forgotten about the horrible, dark prison I just escaped from. Now he's mentioned it, and the terrifying memory came back to me all at once. It was then my turn to break down in tears, overwhelmed by fear.

"Whoa, what's wrong?"

"I . . . I was so scared!"

Then all of a sudden, I found myself in Issun's arms. I looked up at him through watery eyes. "Don't worry," he said. "You got me now." He smiled, reassuring me. And, feeling safe and warm in his embrace, all my fear faded away, as if it never even existed. It was just me and him, together again, and nothing else in the world mattered . . .

Right when I was about to fall asleep, Issun said, "Kiki?"

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I . . . Uh . . . Do you think you can stand?" I suspected that he intended to say something else, but I was too tired to care.

"Mm . . . I'll try. Help me up?"

"Of course." He lifted me up to my feet. "There. Now try walking, stretch your legs a little."

My legs were stiff and numb from who knows how long of sitting, but I still managed a few steps. That is, before I tripped and fell . . . right back into Issun's arms.

"Oh! I-I'm sorry!" I said, flustered. How embarrassing! "Y-You know, I'm just such a klutz, and—"

"Come here, you." Suddenly, my feet were off the ground, and he spun me around. I squealed out of both surprise and delight. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Kiki . . . there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

My heart started to pound, and my mind began to race. _What? What is he going to say? Oh, I can't stand the suspense! _

"I . . . I love you, Kiki."

I gasped. He _loved _me. And of course, I had to share my feelings for him.

"I love you, too, Issun."

He pulled me in closer . . . and he kissed me. _My first kiss._

It was absolutely amazing. I'll never forget the wonderful feeling that came over me, and how I wanted it to last forever. And the only way I could possibly describe it . . . fireworks. It was like fireworks going off, and I never wanted it to end.

By the time he pulled away, my head was spinning. I felt so light, so weightless, I swear I could almost fly. _Is this what love feels like?_ I wondered. _If so, it's the best thing ever!_

o~*~o

Later on that night, no longer in the mood to sleep, I wandered up to the sacred deck. Underneath Konohana's perpetual shower of cherry blossoms and the moon's pale moonbeams, I danced. I danced for the pure joy of dancing. I danced to no music, only to the beat of the nature that surrounded me. I even let my hair down, which I usually never do, I was having so much fun.

I recalled when good ol' Mr. Orange first taught me about dancing, and how it can touch the spirits of others, even holy ones. I loved it from the very start, and I was a natural. I quickly surpassed Mr. Orange in terms of skill and grace. I've been dancing ever since.

Then Issun came up to the sacred deck. "I knew I'd find you somewhere," he said. "What've you been up to?"

"Dancing. Wanna try?"

"No, thanks. I'm . . . not into that kinda stuff."

"Aw, c'mon! It'll be fun!"

"I don't even know how to—"

"I'll teach you."

"I don't know . . ."

"Please? Pretty please?" I then gave him _the _look, the sad look that works every time.

"Well . . . I . . . uh . . . Oh, alright. I'll dance with you. Just please, stop with the look!"

"Yay! Okay, first, you go like this . . ." I passed on my knowledge of dance to him. And to my surprise, he actually caught on pretty fast. Soon, we were spinning in circles all around the sacred deck, dancing like a couple of pros. "See? It's fun, isn't it?" I said to him.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"You know, I've always danced alone . . . but with you, it's so much more fun. Thank you so much, Issun."

"Do I get a reward?" I rolled my eyes. Typical Issun.

"Well, you can have this." I leaned in closer to kiss him.

"Oh, I'd like that very much." We kissed again, and again I felt the fireworks. And there it was again, that lightheaded feeling, the feeling that I could fly.

After the kiss ended, I laid my head on his chest. I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of nature around me.

"Tired?" Issun asked, noticing that my eyes were closed.

When he said that, I suddenly realized that I _was_ tired. "Mm-hm," I muttered, nodding my head.

"I think we should go back, then."

"Yeah. Carry me?"

"But of course."

On the way back, I fell asleep in his arms, the sound of his heartbeat my lullaby . . .

o~*~o

_Here I am again, lost in the world of darkness. I'm alone, but not for long. A man emerges from the shadows. He has raven-black hair and enigmatic red eyes, reminding me of Kagetatsu, the Shadow Dragon._

_His gaze burns me down to my very core, much like Kagetatsu's gaze once did. I can't help but wonder if there's some sort of connection between the two . . . _

_The man draws closer and strokes my hair in a somewhat affectionate manner. I jerk away—his touch burned as hot as his eyes. "My dear. . ." he says, his voice creepy yet somehow alluring. "You didn't really think you could escape me, did you?"_

_"Who . . . Who are you?" I ask in a small voice._

_"Why, do you not remember me? I suppose not. I am the one holding you captive. Call me . . . the Shadow Lord._

_"But why? Why have you captured me?"_

_He laughs a sinister laugh. "Because you, my dear, will be the first of many sacrifices. You don't know it, but you possess great power . . . and I want it. Once I have consumed your soul, I will have enough power to shroud all in darkness. I will create a new world, one without light."_

_"I . . . I won't let that happen! And neither will my friends! Besides, I've already escaped your grasp; you don't have control over me anymore!"_

_"I do admit that your willpower is strong." Again, he laughs sinisterly. "But you simply cannot escape from the shadows. Shadows are everywhere you look; it's futile to try and hide from them. I may have lost my power over you temporarily, but that is only because I underestimated you. On the night of the lunar eclipse, my powers will be at their strongest, and you won't be able to fight me off like you did this time."_

_The man disappears, and the scene changes into the night sky. I can see that the moon is nearly gone—the aforementioned eclipse is close at hand. But how close?_

_Suddenly, the moon sinks below the horizon to be replaced by the sun, and then the sun set and the moon came back at an incredibly fast rate. I assume that one cycle of this represents one day. The cycle repeated three times—three days. The moon came up again, this time totally gone—the lunar eclipse, the new moon. So that's all I have left. Just three days . . . _

o~*~o

I woke up the next morning in my usual spot under the sacred tree. Three days . . . and one of those was already gone. That meant I only had two days left to spend in Kamiki . . . and with Issun.

I rose to my feet, only to fall back down again. My legs had given out in a moment of temporary weakness. This was curious, but I decide to leave things be. I tried again, and this time I was successful. But my legs . . . they felt like jelly, and it was hard to walk.

Struggling now with each step, I made my way up to the sacred deck. Once there, I collapsed, exhausted from the effort. I was losing strength with each passing moment, and I knew it would soon get to the point where I wouldn't be able to move, just like before . . .

I knew it was _his_ doing. As he got stronger, I got weaker. There was nothing I could do, except wait. Wait for him to come get me . . .


	15. The Battle Begins

_**Chapter 14: The Battle Begins**_

I sat there, frozen, awaiting my fate. Issun stayed by my side, and often tried to get me to move. He'd lift me up to my feet, and I'd let myself fall back down. _It's pointless,_ I thought. _This is all pointless. Why even try?_ I knew that I couldn't possibly fight back—I didn't even have the strength to walk anymore, much less hold my own against the shadows.

Issun was very persistent, though—not once did he give up on me. He stopped trying to force me to move, but instead he talked to me in an attempt to motivate me. "Don't give up now, Kiki," he'd say. "If anything, at least try."

That night, gazing up at the moon—now dangerously close to a total eclipse—I thought long and hard about what Issun said to me. It finally dawned on me that he was right—I shouldn't just give up, especially when I'm known for being stubborn. And I might not have had my strength anymore . . . but I still had my _willpower._

"Issun . . . thank you," I said.

"Huh?" He looked up, his expression shocked. It was the first time I had spoken the entire day.

"I said, thank you."

"What for?"

"For reminding me not to give up." For the first time that day, I smiled.

"Well . . . I . . . uh . . . I guess y-you're welcome."

I signaled for him to come here; he had been sitting off to the side, while I sat dead center of the sacred deck. He came over to where I was and sat next to me. I leaned into him, glad to have him close to me, there to lend a helping hand. Friends, lovers, or whatever . . . none of that mattered then. I needed someone to be there for me, and he was.

I fell asleep, ending the day, bringing me closer to _that_ day . . .

o~*~o

It was now the third and final day. My time was short, and I wished I could have made the most of it, but I couldn't, not in the shape I was in. Weaker than ever, I could barely hold my head up. All I could do was wait for nighttime to come, the time when _he_ would come for me.

The hours ticked by impossibly fast, and next thing I knew, the sun was already falling below the horizon. And what made it even worse was the fact that Issun didn't even know. He knew that something was wrong, but I hadn't been able to work up the nerve to tell him. _Oh, well,_ I thought. _He's going to have to find out sooner or later. I guess I should go ahead and tell him._

"Issun . . ." I said, trying to keep my voice strong.

"What is it?"

"There's something you need to know, but I'm afraid you won't like it very much."

"I don't care if I like it or not. If I need to know, then you need to tell me."

"Okay. Um . . . How can I put this? Today's my last day here."

"What? What do you mean by that?"

"I'm going back to _that _place, the place where I was before I came back. In the shadows . . ." I would have shuddered at the thought, but I couldn't, I was so weak.

"But . . . you can't! You won't! I won't let—"

"It's okay, Issun. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. But . . . I have just one little favor to ask of you."

"I'd do anything for you."

With every ounce of strength I had left, I forced my hands to move and close around Issun's hand. "Tell everyone goodbye for me." I pulled my hands away, leaving behind my purple ribbon, the one that I cherished so, in his hand.

"But this is . . . ! I can't take this! You love this ribbon!"

"I know. It's . . . a little something to remember me by. Now, go. Leave, before the sun sets—I don't want you to have to see this."

He hesitated for a moment, uncertain of what to do. Then, clutching my ribbon tightly in his hand, left.

The moon was now high in the sky, a black sphere almost impossible to see in the dark night. I could feel the shadows closing in on me, constricting me, nearly suffocating me. I couldn't move anymore, bound by an invisible force, but still I fought. With the force of sheer willpower, I forced the shadows back, but it was a long, tough battle. The shadows continuously tried to fight back, threatening to bind me again, and I struggled to keep them away.

My struggle lasted on into the night when I sensed another presence. It was _his_ presence—the Shadow Lord, as he called himself in my dream. He laughed at my desperate attempt for freedom.

"Didn't I already tell you? This is a fight you can't win. It is useless to resist, so just stop fighting it."

"_Never._" In a sudden burst of strength and adrenaline, I shattered his spell. I rose to my feet, able to move again. "I'll never let you take me, not again."

"Impressive. You've broken free . . . but I can just as easily put you back under." With a snap of his fingers, the shadows closed in on me again. Once again, I tried to fight them off, but it was no use. This was a battle of wills—my will versus his, and his was stronger than mine. I sank to my knees, trapped once more.

"No . . . NO!" I cried defiantly. "I won't let you! I . . . AAH!"

The shadows won, engulfing me, banishing me to the world of darkness. There, my senses were dulled, leaving me in a dreamlike state.

"Hmm . . . you're quite the feisty one," I heard him say. "Twice you have dispelled my dark powers with your willpower alone. I must say, I have been underestimating you by a far margin. But I can assure you, my dear, that it won't happen again. Yes . . . now you shall become my slave . . ."

o~*~o

**Amaterasu**

I woke up to the sound of a scream. _That sounded like Kiyoko; she must be in trouble!_ I thought to myself as I hurried towards the sacred deck, the place where my keen ears determined the source to be.

When I got there, I had expected to see Kiyoko, so I was surprised to find that she was nowhere to be found. I knew that she was there not long ago; her scent lingered there, still fresh. There was also a trail left behind that was even fresher, one that I could easily track. I was tempted to follow it, but first things first—I had to tell the others.

I woke the others and brought them up to the sacred deck. It was only then that I caught another scent mixed in with Kiyoko's—one I didn't recognize. But the very smell made my fur bristle; it was no doubt the stench of evil. I though that maybe she was taken by demons . . . or something worse. Determined to track her down, I followed the trail as swiftly as I could. Though I didn't know exactly where it would lead me, I had a hunch that we were drawing closer and closer to our enemy, and what might be the final battle . . .

o~*~o

I traced the scents all the way to North Ryoshima Coast. I looked over towards the horizon, and stared at the island that looked like a demon—Oni Island. I always had the feeling that it would be there—the place where we would finally confront our mysterious, elusive foe, the mastermind behind all this.

Getting there wasn't much of a problem—Oni Island's defenses, the ones we had to face last time we saw the island, were now nonexistent. Before, the island had an impenetrable barrier, and shifted to a different location each day at sunset. This time, there seemed to be no barrier at all, and it appeared to be in the same place it had been in since the island's return. It was as if he was mocking us, daring us to walk right in and challenge him. Well, that's just what we were going to do.

We made our way to the summit of the castle built atop the demonic island, the enemy's stronghold. Arriving at the castle's peak, I had the feeling that I was being watched. Everything was eerily silent, an atmosphere of stillness hanging in the air . . .

I gazed up at the stormy skies and howled, calling to the enemy, telling him to come out of hiding. The black clouds dispersed, exposing both the moon and the sun. And if that wasn't strange enough, the moon was crimson red, as if it had been steeped in blood. The strange moon brought with it an even stranger sense of déjà vu, like I'd seen all this before. _Why does this seem so familiar to me?_ I wondered.

"Amaterasu . . . It's been far too long."

"_Who's there?_" I snapped, whirling around to see the face that this unfamiliar voice belonged to. A man appeared before our eyes, materializing from the very shadows surrounding us. Acting out of instinct, I snarled at the stranger, fangs bared, hackles raised, claws out and ready for battle. There was no denying it—this was the man who took Kiyoko, and the opponent we had all been anticipating to meet. "_So you're our new enemy, huh? Well, get ready to—" _Wait a second. "_How . . . How did you know my name?_"

"New enemy, you say? On the contrary," he replied. "In fact, I know you quite well, Amaterasu. I believe we've fought several times before."

"_What are you talking about? I've never seen you before, much less fought you._"

"You don't remember? Hmm, I suppose you wouldn't, considering our new form. Allow me to explain. I am the creation born of the hate left behind by those you have defeated in the past. Those dark spirits, tainted even further by spite and bloodlust, fueled by their thirst for revenge, joined together . . . and thus, we came to be in this form. Now do you see? We've been given a second chance, and we will finally have our revenge!"

"_What?_" I was taken aback, shocked at what I'd just learned. _Orochi . . . Blight . . . Ninetails . . . Yami . . . _All of them, revived, every single one of them out for my blood. Their desire for revenge drove them to come back as one new, all-powerful entity.

"Yes, that's right. We're back, and this time, we will succeed in our quest for vengeance. And you can say goodbye to your brush powers—we'll be taking them now."

"_Yeah, right! The only time I lose my powers is during the solar eclipse, and that only happens once every 100 years! Sorry, but you're out of luck._"

"Ha ha ha . . . foolish wolf! We make our own luck! Have you forgotten already that we have powers far superior to that of your so-called gods? We, too, can manipulate the heavens." He brought out a brush that was black through and through, dipped in blood-red ink. And in the blink of an eye, the impossible happened.

Bending time and space itself, he forced the moon to move in front of the sun, making a solar eclipse of his own. The moment the moon blocked the sun's rays, I felt a sharp, intense pain burning deep within me as my divine powers were ripped from my body. I doubled over, panting heavily, trying to endure it.

As the last of my powers were stolen from me, the pain intensified. I threw back my head and howled from the agony of it. After countless more burning, agonizing seconds, it was finally over. I fell to the floor, powers gone, now an ordinary wolf. Weakened from the traumatic event, I was left helpless. It was now up to Waka and Issun to defeat the Shadow Lord. Both prepared to fight, ready to stand their ground.

"But wait . . . there's more," the Shadow Lord said with an evil grin. "Say hello to our newest servant. I believe you might know her." He snapped his fingers, and the shadows around us converged, forming the shape of a person. The shadows then pulled back to reveal . . . _Kiyoko?_ "Kiyoko, my dear, would you be so kind as to get rid of these pests for me?"

"Yes, my Lord," she replied, her voice emotionless and hollow. Her eyes reflected the blankness in her voice, devoid of any life or sparkle. _She must be under his control,_ I thought. _She would never willingly turn on us._

Issun and Waka hesitated; both were reluctant to attack their friend. Kiyoko, on the other hand, struck without a second thought. She went after Waka, wielding her sword against him, slashing and cutting at him. He had no choice but to defend himself with his own sword, deflecting her attacks with it. When Issun came too close, she lashed out at him, as well. He, too, was forced to draw his sword in order to protect himself.

All throughout the battle, Waka never left my side, not once. He shielded me from the crossfire that came my way, while at the same time fighting off Kiyoko. _How heroic,_ I thought, looking up at him. I lost my "voice" when I lost my powers, so I just looked on in gratitude and admiration, ever so thankful to have him here with me.

Meanwhile, Issun was having trouble with Kiyoko. Her swordsmanship, honed through many years of training, was more than a match for him. She easily defeated him, knocking him unconscious. Heaven only knows what must have been going through the poor girl's mind, being controlled like that . . .

o~*~o

**Kiyoko**

_You monster! You'll never get away with this! _I shouted to the fiend holding me captive. I was a prisoner in my own body, forced to obey the will of the Shadow Lord. I couldn't speak, couldn't move of my own free will. But even as he made me fight my friends, I fought fiercely, desperately trying to regain control.

Issun lay unconscious before me, a result of the wounds I inflicted on him. _I didn't want to,_ I wished I could tell him. _I'm so sorry. I hope you'll forgive me._ Then _his _voice invaded my thoughts.

_Now's your chance,_ the Shadow Lord said. _Finish him off._

_No! I won't do it! _I said, defying him. I'd never kill _anyone_, much less the man I loved.

_Oh, but you will._ Against my wishes, I raised my blade, poised to deliver the final blow. _Do it now! Kill him!_

_NEVER!_ I screamed. Using all my willpower, I forced the sword to stay in place. My hands shook as our conflicting psyches battled for control. The Shadow Lord, angered by my resistance, won over me, and I unwillingly swung my sword. I managed one more act of rebellion, though—I slightly altered the path of the blade so that it just missed.

_So, even now, you're still acting against my command?_ he said, actually sounding somewhat impressed. _Well, I can guarantee you, that won't happen again._

_Ha! You've said that before, and then it happens yet again! Face it, I'm just stronger than you!_

_We'll see about that. _Once more, he made me raise my sword. I tried to stop myself, but his will overpowered mine. Before I was to deliver the fatal blow, he laughed triumphantly. _I am the victor! Your will is inferior to mine! Sorry, my dear._

_Issun . . . no . . . _Now my blade was just inches from his throat. _No . . . ISSUN!_

Unable to stand the thought of killing him, I broke free from the Shadow Lord's spell, just for an instant. And in that instant, I moved the sword away from Issun, instead hitting . . . myself.

That's right. I stabbed myself. It was the only way I knew to truly liberate myself from the Shadow Lord's grip. Finally free, my soul left my body. But I couldn't leave. Not yet. The Shadow Lord still had the other half of my soul.

I went over to where Amaterasu was. I noticed that her pretty red marking were gone, that she looked like a regular wolf. _Snowflake . . . what's wrong? _I asked her. _Why do you look like this?_

She didn't answer. She only looked up at me, her once fiery topaz eyes now a dull charcoal color. It seemed like she wanted to say something, but couldn't. Then I realized that the sun—the source of her power—was gone, and that her powers probably disappeared with it. I then knew what I had to do.

Kneeling before her, I said, _O great Amaterasu . . . Please take my power. It'll give you strength!_

Her eyes widened. It was apparent that she'd rather not have me sacrifice myself for her sake.

I returned her bewildered look with a pleading one. _Please . . . It's the only way you'll be able to defeat the Shadow Lord! You need it more than I do._

She seemed unsure for a minute, then her countenance changed to that of acceptance.

_Okay! Let's do this!_ I allowed her to absorb my soul and, in turn, become one with her . . .


	16. The End

Hey, everyone, and welcome to the final chapter of my fanfiction. I know, sad, isn't it? Don't worry, there will be more stories by yours truly in the near future. If you are actually reading this, I thank you for reading my fanfiction all the way to the end. I do ask that you please read and review - especially review! I love to hear from you guys reading this. Enjoy the story!

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_**Chapter 15: The End**_

**3****rd**** Person**

Everyone watched as yet another miracle happened before their eyes. Amaterasu, having felt cold and empty since losing her powers, suddenly felt a wave of warmth wash over her. The strange but pleasant heat brought with it her old strength—no, strength beyond her own. A soft glow emanated from the wolf, a speck of illumination in the darkness. Growing brighter by the second, the light enveloped Amaterasu.

Inside the now blinding light, Amaterasu felt her body . . . _change_. Her form was shifting and changing, the warmth within her growing stronger and stronger, almost to the point of burning her—yet it was not uncomfortable. It felt right, almost natural, yet she didn't know why.

The bright light dimmed ever so slightly, revealing Amaterasu's new form. She had transformed from a wolf . . . into a human.

As surprised as everyone else was, Amaterasu herself was the most shocked of all. She examined her new self, unable to find an explanation for this phenomenon. It then occurred to her that it was Kiyoko's power that must have done this, but, at the moment, there were more important things to deal with.

She turned her gaze towards the Shadow Lord, her eyes once again alight with golden flames. Her fierce, determined glare pierced through to his very soul, and the dark spirits residing within couldn't help feeling but a hint of fear in their black hearts.

Waka looked on in astonishment, speechless for once. He had no words to describe the moment, to describe Amaterasu's beauty. Her white kimono, cut just above the knees, was adorned with the same markings she once had as a wolf. On top of her head were two little wolf ears—the result of a quirk in the transformation, he supposed. Her snow-white hair, swept into a long ponytail that resembled her old wolf tail, was softer than the finest silk, shimmering softly in the light that she herself created. This was the spectacle that was Amaterasu's true form.

"You can't win, Shadow Lord," Amaterasu said, her voice resonating with the power and authority of a true goddess. "Because where there is darkness, there is also light. And light always wins over the darkness." She looked up at the dark sky, at the sun, forcibly eclipsed by the Shadow Lord. "You think you have control over everything, even over the very heavens . . . but you don't. I _am_ the sun, and you will never control me, not as long as I live!" She reached up, brush in hand, and drew a circle in the sky. "_Sunrise!_"

Undoing the actions of the Shadow Lord, the sun shone upon them once more. The Shadow Lord backed away, temporarily stunned by the glaring, sudden sunlight. Amaterasu's power only grew, her divine light growing brighter, the warmth she felt from within growing stronger.

"Goodbye, Shadow Lord," Amaterasu sneered. She then said to Waka, "Shield your eyes!" She didn't want him to be blinded.

The brilliance of her light increased a hundredfold, chasing away even the darkest shadows. The Shadow Lord, his spirit torn apart by her overwhelming powers of purification, split apart into _his_ true form—the various, individual spirits of those Amaterasu defeated.

Her light shining ever brighter than before, Amaterasu banished the dark spirits to oblivion, never to be seen again.

That's it. It was finally over. The Shadow Lord has been defeated. Amaterasu started to do her favorite victory howl, only to remember that she was no longer a wolf. That was one of the things she'd miss.

Finally liberated from her prison, Kiyoko's soul lingered in the aftermath. She turned to look at her savior, a flicker of confusion flashing across her eyes before being replaced by gratitude.

_Snowflake . . . Amaterasu . . . Thank you,_ she said, smiling like she always did. Amaterasu felt a slight pull as the other half of Kiyoko's soul separated from hers. The two halves reunited, at long last becoming whole again. _That's much better. But . . . What am I to do now? My body . . . _She looked over at her lifeless body, now broken and damaged.

"We'll find a way," Amaterasu said, somehow managing to sound more confident than she was. She could _try_ to heal Kiyoko's body, but there couldn't be any promises. Even with her new powers, she honestly had no idea how to do something like that. Who knows? Maybe it's a lot like the restoring technique Rejuvenation, except with a person. But what if it doesn't work? But just maybe . . .

. . . _No,_ Kiyoko said, cutting off Amaterasu's thoughts.

Did she hear her right? "Did you just say, 'no'?"

_That I did. I . . . I don't want to . . . revive again._

"But . . . But why?"

Issun, who had been unconscious the entire time, woke up just in time to watch this scene unfold. He had no idea as to what had happened, so it was only natural that he was confused, waking up to find Amaterasu human, the Shadow Lord gone, and Kiyoko's soul and body apart once more. "What the heck happened here?" he asked.

Amaterasu turned around to face him, taking a deep breath, preparing to explain everything in a simple summary. "Kiyoko sacrificed herself, giving her power to me, thus turning me human. Thanks to that, the Shadow Lord is now dead." How's that for short and sweet?

"Uh . . . wow," was his reaction.

Amaterasu then turned back to face Kiyoko again. "Now, answer my question. Why don't you want to return to your body?"

"What?" Oh. Right. Issun kind of missed that part, too.

_It's not that I don't want to,_ Kiyoko replied. _But I just feel that we're messing with things that we shouldn't mess with. I've "died" and come back to life so many times, it's ridiculous. This time, I think that we should let nature take its course. If it's my time to leave this world, then you shouldn't try to stop me from leaving._

"Kiyoko . . ." Amaterasu said, eyes burning with unshed tears. Why would Kiyoko willingly throw her life away like this? "This . . . It isn't your time to leave, that much I know. Please, don't do this to us."

"Amaterasu is right," Waka agreed, his voice shaking, no doubt fighting back tears of his own. "You are destined for greater things, greater than you can possibly know. You are far too young to die; you have so much to look forward to. It is _not_ your fate to end your life like this."

_I never did believe in all that destiny stuff. But if there is such a thing, then I think that this _is_ my destiny. I chose to follow the path that led to all this. I think that whether I should stay or leave is also my choice._

"But why would you _want_ to leave?" Issun asked, trying to keep his voice strong in spite of the tears welling in his eyes. " I . . . I thought you were happy here. Was I wrong?"

Kiyoko gave him one of those famous smiles of hers, this one tinged with sadness. _Of course not. I love it here. It's just . . . I have this feeling that this is the way it was meant to be all along, from the very moment I decided to tag along with you guys. Issun . . . _She looked him straight in the eye. _I love you, and that'll never change. _She reached out with a tentative hand. When her hand met his, by some miracle from heaven above, her touch became solid, no longer that of an intangible spirit. She threaded her fingers through his, and she held his hand, squeezing it tightly. _And . . . I'd rather die a hundred times than live without you._

Her violet eyes then met Waka's silvery-blue eyes. _Waka . . . You've always been there for me; I couldn't imagine my life without you. From day one, you were by my side, and I just don't know what I'd have done without you. Thank you for being such a great friend to me._

Waka nodded wordlessly, for he feared that if he spoke, he would lose his composure entirely. How could he have not seen this, of all things, coming?

_I choose my own destiny,_ Kiyoko said, as if in response to his unasked question. _I let things go the way they're supposed to; I don't try to stop it. I won't deny that there is such a thing as fate, but I believe that no one has their future set in stone. This is the path I chose, and I'm gonna follow through with it to the very end._

He only nodded again, his eyes now glistening with the tears he had tried so hard to hold back. _I see now,_ he thought. _That's why I could never predict her future; she made split decisions in the spur of a moment. She always has been one unpredictable girl, one that even I can't see through._

She then sought Amaterasu's golden gaze. _And let's not forget you, Snowflake. I might not have known you that long, but you've stayed by my side until the very end, and for that, I thank you, too._

_"_B-But . . . I . . . You're the one I should be thanking. If it wasn't for you . . . I—I wouldn't even be here," Amaterasu said, stifling a sob.

_Don't worry about that. That was the least I could do for you, after all you've done for me. I doubt I would have made it this far without you, Snowflake. Again, I thank you._

"K-Kiyoko . . . Please . . . Don't go," Amaterasu pleaded, the tears she'd been holding back now flowing freely.

Kiyoko looked at the faces of her friends, each one sad . . . All because she was leaving for good. That thought made her sad, too, but she refused to cry. She would stay strong for her friends in their moment of weakness.

_Look, _she said, _this is hard for me, too. But I _have _to leave. I don't know why, and I don't know how, but I just know that this was meant to be. And . . . I want you to do something for me. Just one last wish of mine. _She examined her friends' faces again, and each of their expressions seemed to be of consent. _Stay happy. Move on with your lives. You know I hate seeing you guys like this._

Suddenly, she was overcome with a sense of peace and calm, and she found herself rising into the sky. Looking back at her friends for one last time, she saw that they granted her wish, seeing her off with a smile. With a smile of her own, she passed on into the next world . . .

o~*~o

_**Epilogue**_

_15 Years Later_

**Amaterasu**

As it had turned out, Waka had been repairing the Ark of Yamato all those years. So, here I am now, back on the Celestial Plain with Waka . . . and with three beautiful young pups.

I later found that I could shift from human form to wolf form anytime I want. And naturally, I prefer my wolf self. Upon returning to the Celestial Plain, Waka was also bestowed the power to shape-shift into a wolf. That resulted in my three adorable puppies, each one cuter than the last. But there's one pup in particular that I like, though.

I don't know, but there's something about her that reminds me of someone I used to know. The name slips my mind, but there is just something about her energy, and the way she bounces around in the serene meadows. But you want to know the strangest thing about this little pup?

This pup had purple eyes . . .

_**END**_

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And that's it. The end of my fanfiction. And no, there won't be any sequels, sorry. I ask again that you please review on my story - did I mention that I live for the feedback I recieve from you, the readers? Thanks again for reading, and I'll be seeing ya!


	17. Alternate Ending

I know I said the previous chapter was the last one - and it is - but this is just an alternate ending. This is what would have happened had things gone a little . . . differently. I am going to just let you read and see for yourself. Be warned, though - it is sad, as in bawl-your-eyeballs-out sad. So whip out your tissues and read on.  
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Alternate Ending

Kiyoko's blade glinted scarlet, reflecting the crimson moonlight as she raised it towards the sky, poised to strike what would be the final blow. _No!_ she cried in her mind, her body refusing to obey her. Under the command of the Shadow Lord, Kiyoko swung the sword against her will. _NO!_ she cried again. _ISSUN!_

_SHUNK!_

The deed was done. Kiyoko's sword buried itself deep within Issun's body. It was over. He was dead.

Kiyoko was left in shock, her feelings matching the expressionless face she was made to wear. Through unwilling eyes, she stared blankly at Issun's now lifeless body. Then, an all-new emotion suddenly took hold of her heart. She had no name for this feeling—she had never felt anything like this before—but it consumed her like fire, boiling her blood.

This new emotion gave her a power she never knew before. Fueled by this mysterious, burning, addicting power, Kiyoko shattered the Shadow Lord's curse with ease. Regaining control of her body, she turned to face the Shadow Lord, the fiery emotion burning brighter than before.

"You . . . You monster!" she said, her voice trembling from the intense emotion she felt. In fact, her entire body shook as she screamed, "You did this to him! For that, I will never forgive you!" She charged at him, her thoughts clouded by the emotion she still had no name for. "DIE!"

Amaterasu, still a helpless white wolf, watched the scene unfold from where she lay anxiously, if not a bit fearfully. She barely recognized the girl before her. Kiyoko's face, so delicate, almost always adorned with a smile, was now contorted with rage. Her voice, usually so light and musical, had become a shrill screech as she screamed out her fury. With Kiyoko so furious, it came as no surprise to Amaterasu what came next.

Kiyoko, acting on pure anger and adrenaline, ran her sword clean through the Shadow Lord's body. The body destroyed, the black spirits that once resided within fled, escaping to a place where they would most likely never be seen again.

The Shadow Lord now done for, the moon moved back to its original position away from the sun. Amaterasu regained her powers, resuming her normal form.

After the unexpected rush of energy, Kiyoko was now left with a sense of accomplishment . . . and a sense of sorrow. Issun was dead, but she avenged him, right? Right? _Oh, what's the use?_ She thought. _It's my fault. It's all my fault. I killed Issun—me, with my own hands._

The feeling of hope and accomplishment gone, there was nothing left but devastating sadness. Kiyoko felt as if her heart, heavier than a boulder, would crush her. Under the weight of her sorrow, she fell to her knees. The pain she felt deep in her heart hurt so much, she thought that it might kill her. Then she thought that would be better. Better to die than to live without Issun.

"Kill me," she begged. "Just end it all right now."

Amaterasu was taken aback by Kiyoko's plea. "_Now, Kiyoko, there's no need to be irrational. Let's just calm down and—_"

"NO!" Kiyoko snapped. "KILL ME! KILL ME NOW!"

This was going too far, Amaterasu thought. In an attempt to calm Kiyoko, Amaterasu lightly nipped her.

"OW! That hurt!" From the shock and pain of the bite, Kiyoko regained her senses. "Thanks, Snowflake. I needed that." Kiyoko then looked sadly at Issun's dead body.

Even after the brief nip that snapped her out of hysterics, the pain and the sorrow hit her all over again, this time twice as hard. She looked at her shaking hands, at the hands that killed her love. Tears filled her eyes, and then spilled over, rolling down her cheeks. Drawing closer to Issun, she cried for him, for the life that she herself had taken. Sobs racked her body as she took him in her arms, clutching him tightly. She let out an inhuman howl, wailing his name and apologizing to him over and over again.

After a long while, when Kiyoko had no more tears to shed, she, Amaterasu, and Waka set up a small dedicational shrine to Issun. Planting his sword into the ground, Kiyoko placed his favorite green helmet on top. Kiyoko started to cry all over again while Amaterasu cried silent tears of her own. Even Waka looked a bit sad.

Through her tears, Kiyoko made a promise to Issun, to his spirit, wherever it may be. "Issun . . . can you hear me? I promise . . . No, I swear . . . I swear on my own life . . . That I will never, ever smile again. Not until I can see you again. You got that? Never."

They left Oni Island, never to look back again . . .

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I told you it was sad! Please review - and to all the Issun fangirls currently in mourning: Please, I ask that you do not flame me. Do not hate me for killing him off. This is just a product of my twisted imagination, and I mean nothing by it. I myself like Issun a lot (though Waka is WAY better) and again mean nothing by this chapter. Oh, and can you please review? 


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